Month: December 2024

“…and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”

Matthew 2:11 (NAB)

The story of the magi has meaning for us every day, since they arrived about two years after the birth of Jesus. Contrary to all the songs and plays, Jesus was not in the manger when the magi, or wise men, finally found him. The shepherds saw Him as a newborn in a manger, but by the time the magi arrived on the scene, it says they “entered the house and saw the child”. Jesus was no longer in a stable, but living with his parents in their Nazareth house.

The magi were not kings, but they were advisors to kings, and Jesus, who was a divine king, wasn’t old enough to receive or give advice to anyone yet. There were also more than three magi, possibly twelve, according to the catacomb paintings and early historians. They came from the East, and in that area, the East would be present day Iran and Iraq. 

The Hebrew people were educated in Mosaic law, the prophets and their  scriptural traditions, but the magi were from a completely different culture. Their education was in mathematics, science, medicine, astronomy, astrology, prophecy, and even magic. 

They studied the Hebrew prophecies along with astronomy, concluding that a divine king was born within the past two years. Being led by a bright astronomical sign in the sky, they came to the exact house where the toddler king lived with His parents.

When the magi arrived at His house, the two year old Jesus was probably sitting on the floor, playing with toys, like any toddler boy. I can picture them face to face with Jesus, as He looked up at the group of men, dressed in lavish clothing, and holding shiny gifts in their hands.

What was God’s purpose in leading these uniquely learned men from the East to the poor town of Nazareth to see a Hebrew toddler who wasn’t even old enough to teach or preach to them? What could a two year old boy offer to men who were advisors to kings for years? 

The magi sought out Jesus in order to receive only one thing in return, the honor of His presence. They didn’t go there to receive healing, deliverance, words of wisdom, instruction or guidance. The magi met Jesus long before He would heal, deliver or preach a single sermon. They wouldn’t even hear a single parable to share and edify others with, when they returned home. 

The magi entered the house just to gaze at the divine king. They saw a two year old boy playing on the floor, with a twinkle in His eyes and a smile on his face. After their long journey, and years of expertise in studying prophecies and astronomical calculations, their greatest reward was in gazing at the face of the human and divine toddler king.

The magi teach everyone something important, whether we were brought up in the faith or not. For Christians, they teach us that the greatest gift to seek from God, more than healing, deliverance, wisdom, or edifying sermons, is to seek His presence and worship Jesus as our King of kings. 

The magi represent all those who grew up without any Christian foundation or background. They show us that if anyone searches for the truth with all their heart, they will find Him, since God promised, 

“You will seek me and find me; when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13)

Every person’s sincere search leads them to a revelation of Jesus.

God led the magi there, not to teach doctrine or correct any errors of their  belief system, but simply to meet and worship His son. All over the world, people of various cultures worship Jesus, even though some could not explain a single doctrine of the faith. It doesn’t matter what they know but “who” they know. 

As early as His first two years of life, Jesus was already touching the hearts of those who were considered outside the margins of His own Jewish religious community. Something wonderful happened when the magi had a face to face encounter with the toddler king. 

They saw more than a child. They were looking into the face of the way, the truth and the life, not written on parchment or scrolls, or seated on a throne, but in a humble home, sitting on a floor. His parents called Him Yeshua, but the magi called Him the human, yet divine toddler King. Then they bowed down to worship Him. 

The entire life of Jesus was directed at including all those who were not from within His own Hebrew culture. His grace extends beyond cultural, ethnic and racial boundaries, and the magi were the first group of outsiders, to meet and be blessed by Him. 

From the day He first looked up at the magi, until His death, when He looked at the thief, next to Him on a cross, Jesus never stopped reaching out to those who came from a background different from His own. 

He reminds us to follow Him, to open our heart to any person, who we previously saw as an outsider. As we welcome and pray for those who are outside our faith or culture, we also worship the King of kings, knowing we have received the greatest gift of all, His Presence, which is with us forever.

Lord, today we remember you as that innocent, happy toddler, when the magi first beheld your joyful face, and bowed in worship. Give us a heart of compassion, and show us how to gather all outsiders closer to you. Amen

“Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; thou hast loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness.”

Psalm 30:11 (RSV)

The Lord is the One who can turn our mourning into joy and dancing. Living in a Nursing Facility can be a dark and sad place for some people, since it’s like a period of mourning for them. For some, their mourning is turned into joy, when they can finally return home to their family. I knew of three residents over the past year who were only there for a period of rehabilitation and later discharged.

For others, who have no family, it is a permanent residence. Some are there permanently because they require 24 hour care, but other residents are there permanently, simply because they have no assets and no family. 

I have come to know a handful like that, since they reside on the same floor as my son, Jon.

Tawana is a resident at that NH, who I have known and befriended for the past year. She is awaiting her own discharge soon, while recovering from brain cancer. She has three adult children who live in the Chicago area, and is planning to live with one of them, after her discharge one day. 

Last week I met a resident who I never saw before, since he lives on a different floor, and seldom comes into the community day room. He walked in and stood still, placing one hand on a column in the room, listening to the music playing on a resident’s speaker. Tawana knew him as a long time resident on her floor. She told me his name is David and he is totally blind. That’s why he was standing, holding the column and listening to music. 

The old song by the Four Tops was playing, called “I can’t help myself.” Tawana got up to dance and invited David to come stand closer to the music speaker to hear the music better. I joined Tawana and we danced as David let go of the column and began to dance with us. Tawana and I sang the words out loud to David, “Sugar pie honey bunch, you know that I love you, I can’t help myself, I love you and nobody else.”🎶 

We had fun, but David was overjoyed and his face lit up with the biggest smile, as he danced with us. Then he said, “I love this group participation!” I don’t think David has ever had people sing and dance with him during his life at that Nursing Home. It was a rare moment of joy for him and he did not stop smiling. 

During that brief mini dance party, Tawana and I were delighted to see David’s joy, and I look forward to more in the future. A thought came to me, though it’s not an actual scripture verse, I thought to myself, 

“I was blind and lonely, and you sang and danced with me.”

A simple act of sharing our joy with him, dancing and singing to a classic oldie, was a rare moment of joy for David, who lives in a dark and lonely world, in a facility that cares for his physical needs, but provides little social interaction. Since he can hear, music was his only friend until two ladies surrounded him that day, dancing and singing lyrics of love to him.

His external circumstances didn’t change, and he is still a blind man,  and lifelong resident in a nursing facility, with no visitors, but God sees David and decided to send him into the community day room according to His perfect timing. The Spirit of God inspired Tawana, who inspired me, and together we brought a moment of joy instead of mourning to David’s life. Everyone’s life simply consists of a series of moments, and we all have the potential to bring rare moments of joy to others.

Joy is a state of happiness that is not dependent on external causes. True joy comes from God, and is within all of us. Scripture tells us that the joy of the Lord is our strength. 

(Nehemiah 8:10)

The joy we bring to others will give them strength and come right back to do the same for the giver. The best remedy for feeling sad, alone or worried, is to go out and bring a rare moment of joy to someone else. Making someone smile may not change the world, but it changes their world. It also lifts us out of our world of problems, as we receive more than we ever give. 

Lord, in this Christmas season of joy, show us how we can share the joy of the Lord with someone who is living in a dark, lonely place, that we might for a moment, turn their mourning into joy. Amen

“…but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away…So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

1 Corinthians 13:10, 13 (NAB)

On Tuesday, I received a call from the Nursing Facility, and was informed that my son, Jon, was agitated and resisting several staff workers from caring for him. (My adult son, Jon suffered a traumatic brain injury in 2023 from a motorcycle accident)

The neurologist suggested increasing his dose of Seroquel that he receives in the evening. I agreed, feeling bad that he was behaving badly with the nurses and nurse assistants, who do so much good for him. 

The next day, a nurse assistant explained to me how Jon was behaving, that prompted his medication increase. He was aggressively resisting the nurse trying to give him a sponge bath. 

I led that nurse over to Jon, and told him to apologize for being rude, and Jon responded, “What did I do?”

I was amazed to hear him say that, which tells me that Jon really understands some things said to him, although he doesn’t usually speak legibly or answer any questions. Even though he didn’t apologize, I have a new hope that he is comprehending more than I thought. He probably doesn’t remember what he did the day before, but he seemed to comprehend what I was telling him.

After that, Jon seemed very sad, staring blankly, his chin in his hand, sitting quietly in his wheel chair, so I hugged him, assuring him that he is loved. I thought of how difficult it must be to not know what you are doing half the time. He probably wonders how his existence has become so strangely altered, not understanding what he did wrong the day before. He clearly cannot understand everything happening in his life, but I know he understands love.

Anytime I hug him and tell him I love him, he cries. Love is one thing that he understands any time of the day. When his long time friend, Joe, came in from out of state to visit him, Jon cried when Joe hugged him, telling him he loves him.

Love is something that touches every human being, despite brain injury or a disruption in health or well being. Love can be understood by anyone, because it endures forever. It’s not affected by one’s physical condition, cognitive ability or mental status.

As I think of people like Jon, who are in institutions or nursing facilities, who are unable to understand much, who feel misunderstood and seem disconnected from the rest of the world, there is one thing that always connects with them, and it’s love. 

There is an elderly resident named Vivian, who is in a wheel chair at Jon’s Nursing Home. I never see any visitors with her, and more than once, I tried having a conversation with her, to learn about her family. She always tells me that she has six children and two of them are babies, who are currently patients in a hospital. She is obviously somewhat disoriented about time and reality, because Vivian is in her late seventies. She may have her facts mixed up, but she has a lot of love to give away. 

I have learned that many stories the residents tell me, are out of delusion and not facts. I just smile, nod and listen, especially with one lady who tells me over and over that her brother is the biological son of JFK. 

Most residents need to be accepted more than they need to be corrected.

My friendship with Vivian began by greeting her with a smile, and now, she has so much love to give, that every time I lean near to greet her, she wraps her arms around me and says “I love you.” Love resides in the human soul, because after the body and the mind fail, love remains fully intact. As quoted in today’s verse, it is the perfect part of us that outlives all things partial. Many things in a lifetime are partially satisfying, or temporary, but love endures forever. 

We are reminded,

“God is love and whoever lives in love lives in God, and God lives in them.”

(1John 4:16)

When all else fails, we should always pursue love. To pursue love is to pursue God. If we know someone who is difficult to connect with, or is delusional or disoriented to time, place or person, there is one way to connect with them, by showing them love, as I learned from Jon and Vivian.

Lord, help us to put our hope in the power of love, when other methods fail. Remind us that to live in love is to live in you. Amen

“I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.”

Revelation 2:19 (NIV)

God sees something in each of us, whether it is our faith, our endurance, or our undiscovered talents and gifts. Some people have a gift of prayer intercession, some have hospitality gifts to make others feel welcome, and some have gifts to encourage others in their faith. Whatever gifts the Spirit has given us, were meant to edify and build each other up in the faith. It’s how God intended His church to work. Those gifts within us, work through the power of the Holy Spirit, and sometimes we may not even be aware of them until later in life. 

What does Jesus mean in saying in today’s scripture verse, that our last works are greater than the first? Looking at many people’s stories in scripture can help us to better understand those words. 

So many people in biblical history either began as unknowns or were headed at first in a wrong direction. Some were hidden from the public eye, and their best work and calling came about decades later in their life. 

Starting with Jesus, who was born in Bethlehem, safely hidden from King Herod, lived in Egypt for a time, and was quietly raised in the small town of Nazareth. He was unknown until the age of 30 when his ministry began, and the world has never been the same, since.

David spent his early years out in the fields, isolated from the rest of his family. He was the youngest brother, a teenage shepherd, who was ordered to tend his father’s flock until the day he was called and chosen to be the King of Israel, and to tend God’s flock instead.

Samuel was promised to God by Hannah, his mother, and brought to the temple, after he was fully weaned. Although he was dedicated from his birth, he had to wait until he grew to adulthood, to fill the priestly position he was called and destined for. 

Moses ran away from the Egyptian palace where he was raised, and chose to live a private simple life tending sheep, until the day he received God’s call from a burning bush, telling him to go save and liberate His chosen people. He was 80 years old when God called him to be a deliverer of His people. 

Joseph, who was mistreated by his envious brothers, was abandoned as a youth, sold into slavery, falsely accused, and jailed. He was an example of steadfast reliance on God, during years of mistreatment. Twenty years later, he was elevated to the role of governor over Egypt, becoming second in command to Pharaoh.

Paul, known as St. Paul to many,  was once known as Rabbi Saul. He was educated in a Jewish tradition, and became a murderous hater of the Christian faith, until he was in his 30’s, and had a dramatic conversion. Since then, his zeal was redirected towards his love for Christ and he brought the gospel to the world as a Christian missionary. He wrote most of the New Testament and died as a martyr for the faith.

These stories in scripture tell us that whatever our age is, it’s possible that we haven’t realized our fullest potential yet. Our best is yet to come. Every trial we go through has made us more resilient, and the gifts that previously lied dormant within us have been refined for days to come.

Whatever our age is, God wants us to flourish, not merely survive. Retirement is not a time to stop growing, it’s a time to discover what the Spirit has been developing within us over the years. Isaiah wrote, 

“Behold, I am doing a new thing;

 now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” (Isaiah 54.19)

The new thing began at Pentecost, and it keeps evolving. It is evolving in the church as a whole, but also in each believer. The Holy Spirit never stops working on a new thing within us, as long as we are living.

These are the days to think and pray about what our role is, in being a part of God’s “best for last” plan.

Lord, show us how you have saved the best for last, and help us to flourish spiritually, rather than merely survive as we discover the gifts you have refined in us. Amen

“Seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. The Spirit said to Philip, “Go and join up with that chariot.”

Acts 8:28-29.  (NAB)

An angel spoke to Philip, telling him to go down the road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza. As Philip headed down that road, he noticed a royal chariot. The Eunuch riding in it was the treasurer for the Queen of Ethiopia, and he was reading scripture from the prophet Isaiah while he was riding. 

The Holy Spirit told Philip to run up to the chariot. Philip ran to catch up to him and when he came alongside him, he asked if he understood what he was reading. The eunuch immediately invited Philip to join him and explain Isaiah’s writing to him. Philip began to share his faith, teaching him how the many prophecies of Isaiah, pointed to the Messiah, who was in fact, Jesus. 

During that brief ride, the Ethiopian man believed and asked to be baptized, so they stopped the chariot by a body of water, and Philip baptized Him. Afterward, they went their separate ways, and never saw each other again. 

Sometimes God changes our course and we end up somewhere we never planned to be. He may lead us to meet someone for a brief time, for a special purpose. I had an experience like this many years ago, when I was visiting a Vineyard church in the area. Someone invited me to attend an Alpha group meeting taking place in the home of a church member. 

I went to the Alpha meeting and met a lady there, who was also a first time visitor, named Teddy. I found out she lived only two blocks away from me, and we became friends. I would routinely pick her up and bring her to church services and Alpha meetings. Teddy had a serious health problem at the time, but was searching for meaning and hope in her life. When I met her, she was in remission from colon cancer but had recently learned that the cancer spread to her liver. 

For several months, we spent many good times together, going to church services, church group meetings, and even dancing together in Greek town on weekends. I saw Teddy transform, spiritually, as she found peace and strength through a deeper relationship with Jesus. Her faith upheld her through her chemo treatments and all the ups and downs of that difficult period in her life. 

It was a very brief friendship because the cancer in her liver quickly progressed and she passed away within the year that I met her. 

I think about our short but vibrant friendship, and how her faith deepened during that time. That friendship was my “chariot” experience, because I felt like I jumped into Teddy’s chariot and took a short ride with her. I had a small part in helping her during a difficult stage in her life journey. 

What she really needed and longed for at that time in her life was satisfied through her relationship with Jesus, and she found an inner peace to help her continue her journey, until the day she was called into His loving arms. 

Whatever chariot God leads us to climb into, is always in sync with His perfect timing and purpose. Just as Phillip was sent to join a chariot with a stranger from a completely foreign land, the Holy Spirit may send us to a place we didn’t expect to go. It might turn out to be a chariot ride of faith, that changes someone’s life.

Lord, help us to be available to join the chariots you send us to, so that we may encourage someone’s faith, at a crucial time in their lives. Amen

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

Matthew 13:44 (NAB)

The Israelites went through extensive humbling while they wandered through the wilderness. They were hungry, thirsty, hot, and bitten by snakes. They missed the comforts of home, like their own bed, their favorite foods and the abundance of drinking water.

After being enslaved in Egypt, they were finally free and heading for their own promised land. God had many treasures in store for them, but instead of seeing their journey as a path to a blessing, they saw the wilderness as the worst thing that could ever happen to them. They were dwelling on the problems of their journey instead of the promise of their destination.

In 2019, I went through a type of wilderness when my late husband was diagnosed with ALS and died within a year. The following year was the Covid pandemic and my church was closed for months. Then, I was furloughed from my job, and didn’t see much of anyone at all. I was living in a strange state of isolation, as was everyone else that year.

During that time, I wondered if I had any gifts, and how I could use them during the downtime. I’ve always read scripture, but that year, I started journaling whatever I learned, which led me to write meditations. Although I never sent them to anyone, I couldn’t stop writing, and it became my passion and my joy during that period of solitude. One day, the following year, I mentioned to my friend, Laura, that I was writing meditations. She asked me to send them to her, and so I did. 

To make a long story short, soon there were friends of friends, receiving daily meditations, via group email and phone texts messages. My passion for writing continued to grow, and I still write a meditation each day. The first treasure that I discovered hidden in my wilderness, was a love for writing. 

The second treasure that I found during that period of isolation was a relationship with the Holy Spirit. I began to talk to Him every day, asking for direction, wisdom, and inspiration before writing, and that’s how the meditations kept flowing. I created a website and posted all my meditations on the website called

kissedbythespirit.com

In 2023 I entered an unexpected new wilderness, when my adult son, Jon, had a serious motorcycle accident. He went through brain surgery, two weeks in a coma, and is now awake but living in a long term care facility, relearning how to walk and talk. There are still many unknowns regarding his prognosis, but he is making gradual progress.

The Holy Spirit opened my eyes to something while I was visiting his Nursing Facility one day. As I looked around, I saw other people who would sit alone, receive no attention and never have a single visitor. That was the day I discovered a third treasure, hidden in Jon’s place of residence. It’s the treasure of being able to befriend the friendless.

The residents responded so happily to the smallest thing I would say or do. Whether it’s a smile, a wave, a hug, or simply greeting them by their name, it was like giving them the gift of dignity. Some residents just wanted to be listened to, and to tell their own story, but every visit gave them some attention and a treat.

Whatever kind of wilderness we are in, it helps to remember that it’s a journey, not a final destination. 

The Holy Spirit taught me to look outward, to see those who were around me, and that’s how I found the treasures that were hidden in each wilderness.

I’ve learned that to find our purpose in any wilderness, it requires looking outside of ourself. If I dwell on own my losses, problems and frustrations, I would surely become depressed. The Holy Spirit is the Comforter, and we receive His comfort for a purpose, so that we can comfort others. 

We each have our own unique mission as we journey through our own unique wilderness, but we are all heading towards one common destination, which is heaven.

An older man used to sit in a church pew, looking at the altar, praying long after the services were over. He was asked one day by his minister, “What are you hoping or praying for?” He answered, “Nothing, I just look at Jesus and He looks at me.” 

That’s the spirit of adoration. Prayer doesn’t always have to be filled with frantic requests. If we spend a little time looking at Jesus, He looks back at us and shows us where to look to find the next hidden treasure that is waiting for us. 

Lord, as we journey through our current wilderness, open the eyes of our heart to see you in those around us, so that we may find the treasures hidden there. Amen

“But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile.” Exodus 2:3 (NIV)

The woman described in these passages of Exodus was Jochebed, who was from a family lineage of priests, of the tribe of Levi. Her name isn’t even mentioned in the early chapters of the story, but we learn it from the genealogies mentioned later, that she was the birth mother of Moses, and a woman of faith.

There is no mention in this story of God ever once speaking audibly to Jochebed, who decided to hide her three month old baby in order to keep him alive. She received no dreams, no visions, no audible instructions and no angel visits from heaven, to help save her baby from Pharaoh’s cruel decree, ordering the killing of every Hebrew infant male.

Now it was time for her to put her faith into action, as she prayed and toiled before choosing between two options. She could either keep hiding her baby at home, risking that he might be found and murdered, or risk putting him in a waterproof papyrus basket to float down the Nile River, entrusting his destiny to God. She couldn’t hide him any longer, so she chose the latter.

The Nile River was filled with poisonous spiders, crocodiles and deadly mosquitos, yet Jochebed decided to risk all those natural threats, rather than take a chance on the evil that Pharaoh could do to her son. 

Jochebed’s name translates to “God’s glory,” and she believed God would bring glory out of the entire situation. Without receiving any visits, visions or voices from heaven, Jochebed took action based on her own faith instincts. In courage and selflessness, Jochebed put her baby into that basket, and sent him down the Nile, praying and trusting God to lead him to whatever his destiny would be.

Her baby was found in the water by a compassionate princess who received him as a gift and raised him as her own son, in the royal palace. She named him Moses and through providential events, the princess hired Jochebed, to nurse him until he was weaned. 

We all face difficult situations that require courage to trust in God. We may need to take immediate action, or it could be a situation where we cannot take any action at all, and need to be still and know that God is with us. In either case, it is our faith instincts that rise up within us and lead us to pray and trust in God. 

While Jochebed hid her baby for three months, she prayed for a way to keep him alive in a world of turmoil and injustice, where she was a slave. The day she stood on the bank of the Nile, she had already followed her faith instincts, and released him into the care of an invisible God. As she watched her baby crying in that basket, floating down the river, with his arms reaching up in the air, her heart was breaking. Trusting God and turning faith into action, may not spare us from heartbreak, but hope reminds us that tomorrow is a new day. 

Jochebed prayed and trusted that her son would live a full life, and God answered her prayer, far beyond her expectations. We all know the story of Moses and the Passover story.  Despite how the movies depict the story, after his weaning, there’s no biblical account of Moses ever being reunited with his birth mother on this side of heaven. Sometimes the closure that we seek in this world, is delayed until eternity. 

Jochebed was not the only Jewish mother in history, who gave her baby up in order to save him. There was another time in history, during the Holocaust, when mothers gave their babies up, entrusting their lives to someone else who could save them. Those children were adopted and raised in another country by another family, but not all birth mothers were reunited with them later.

They were courageous mothers like Jochebed, who followed their faith instincts, took action and then stood still, believing that their baby’s destiny was in God’s hands, which it was.

God is still a rewarder of those who diligently trust in Him. Throughout generations, we entrust the care of our children and loved ones to God. Sometimes we do so by relinquishing our control, and learn to be still and trust. Like Jochebed, we are led by our own faith instincts. We pray, take action and then leave everything in the hands of an invisible God, as our loved ones journey in their own papyrus basket of destiny. 

Lord, show us when to put our faith into action and when to be still and trust. Guide us by the faith instincts you placed within us, so that we may glorify you through every situation. Amen

“At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth.” Luke 1:39-40 (NIV)

Faith in God is described as a valuable pearl in the gospels, and those we befriend who share our faith, are as valuable as the pearl of faith itself. We benefit in so many ways by having wise friends of faith, who know us and share our joys, our sorrows as well as our beliefs.

Before Jesus was incarnated, Mary, who was a special and blessed young woman of faith, shared a special friendship with her older cousin, Elizabeth. Once Mary got past the initial shock of her virgin conception, she was so thrilled, she couldn’t wait to share the news with her closest friend, Elizabeth. 

Imagine having an incredible visit from an angel, greeting you with “Hello favorite one!” and then telling you a divine conception is taking place in your womb. After Mary surrendered to God’s plan, she was bursting with joy, which is evident by her lengthy response expressed in the first chapter of Luke. 

Upon realizing that she would become the mother of the long awaited, and hoped for, Messiah, her first action was to take a long trip, to visit and share the news with her dearest friend, Elizabeth. 

Before cell phones or cars, her only way to tell Elizabeth, was to travel by donkey on a 90 mile trip to the hill country of a town called Ein Karem. Mary and Elizabeth obviously had a special friendship that transcended their generational and geographical distance. 

We may have friends of faith like this, who live far away from us, but thanks to cell phones and cars we have easier ways to keep in touch with them. To have a community of friends who share our faith is like having a cherished, priceless pearl.

When Mary and Elizabeth finally reunited, they probably exchanged stories, and learned that the same angel, Gabriel, was sent to announce the birth of their miracle baby boys. What an amazing family with these two special women in it, who both became a part of God’s salvation plan. 

I can imagine the discussions that were made in heaven, to arrange for the special day when Gabriel was sent to earth, first to tell Elizabeth’s husband Zacharias, about John and next, to go to Nazareth to tell Mary about Jesus. Mary and Elizabeth were now connected by more than being relatives and best friends, they were both part of the same divine salvation plan of Almighty God. 

They weren’t the kind of cousins who grew up as childhood playmates because of their age difference, but they both shared a bond as women of faith. 

Mary had to be selective in choosing who to share her exciting news with. It was well worth the ninety mile trip to meet with the one person she knew would believe in her and rejoice with her. Sometimes we need to be selective in who we confide in, especially regarding matters of faith. 

Our personal faith is like a precious pearl of great value, which means we can be truthful and vulnerable with those who are on the same page with us spiritually. Friends of faith are as valuable as a pearl, since they make us feel safe, which is why Jesus told us “do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under foot”. 

(Matthew 7:6) 

If you have a likeminded friend or relative who understands you, believes in you and shares your perspective of your Christian faith, it’s a gift from God. I am thankful for the friends in my life. I’ve been blessed with new friends, as well as those I have known for years. 

I have met friends through churches, and some through my workplace over the years. Some live in the neighborhood and some live out of state, but I’m glad I don’t have to travel ninety miles to share news with them. I’m also thankful for cell phones, computers, Facebook groups, emails and all manners of communication.

This is a tribute to every valued pearl of friendship, whether new or from years past, and I thank God for all of you and pray for His blessing on all your friendships today. 

Lord, thank you for enriching our lives with friends who share our faith. Unify and strengthen us through your Spirit and bless every pearl of friendship in our lives today. Amen

“I thank my God every time I remember you.”

Philippians 1:3 (NIV)

The words in this scripture can be said about many friends or loved ones, who have impacted our lives at some time, in a special way, whether they are still living or not. 

Today, I am remembering my friend Michelle, who left this world way too soon. We worked together for many years and became friends, even though she was young enough to be my daughter. Wherever I look in my home today, I can see the things that Michelle hand made and gave to me as gifts over the years that I knew her. 

She was a talented craftsperson and her handiwork is in every corner of my home, from the bedazzled glass case where I keep my reading glasses, to the holiday wreaths I hang on my front door, to the many pairs of earrings in my jewelry box, and even the crocheted hat and scarf that I wear on these cold winter days. 

Wherever I look, I see signs of her creativity, which reminds me of our friendship, and the twelve years we worked together. 

I can never forget a true story that Michelle once shared with me, that stands out above all else. She was at a gas station one day, pumping gas in her car, when she noticed a man choking in the car next to her. She rushed over, and took action, by  bringing him out of his car and doing the Heimlich maneuver on him, which saved his life. Naturally, the man was very grateful and I never forgot that story since the day she shared it with me. 

Sadly, Michelle couldn’t save herself, when she was unable to breathe from a blood clot which infiltrated her lung, over a year ago. She had trouble breathing and called her sister, who quickly drove to her house to bring her to the hospital, but it was too late, because Michelle collapsed walking outside her front door. 

Paramedics tried to resuscitate her, but she passed away in the nearby Emergency room. She was only 44, and it’s heart breaking to lose such a young friend, who was kind, creative, generous and had a great sense of humor. Anyone who knew Michelle, knew her special love for all babies, children and animals. I still miss her, knowing she had so much more to live for. 

The man she saved at that gas station, may never know of her fate, but he is probably still sharing the story of how a woman, who was a total stranger, saved his life one day, when he was choking. 

I believe that angels surround all of us every day, and they may spare us unknowingly from danger, accidents and tragedies, through their divine intervention. In some instances, the angels that God sends to us are just people, who are at the right place at the right time, reacting to a person’s desperate need, doing whatever it takes to save their life. Michelle was definitely someone’s angel that day at that gas station. 

There is so much we will never have answers for in this lifetime, since God’s thoughts and His ways are nothing like ours. I’m sure each person cherishes the memory of someone who was like an angel in their life, who they still thank God for, every time they remember them.

We are meant to keep living our lives with faith and hope, while keeping the memories alive of all those who have blessed us. We celebrate their life instead of dwelling on the timing or circumstances of their death. I believe we are all meant to become somebody’s angel at some time. 

It’s  good to be aware and prepare ourselves for the day that God may send us to help someone at the right time and place. Not everyone will save a life physically, but we may be called upon to give some type of spiritual or emotional support, and to become somebody’s angel, at a providential moment in time. In honor of all those who have been like angels in our lives, we open our hearts to do the same for someone else, someday, in some way.

Lord, instead of looking for answers to the unexplained sorrows in this world, help us to make the world a better place by acting on the opportunity to become somebody’s angel. Amen

“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

2 Corinthians 9:8 ( NIV)

We are blessed through many small graces along the way, even during the most difficult tests and trials in our lives. In all things, at all times, He gives us what we need, in small, subtle ways, so that in the end, we may abound in every good work. 

We might miss recognizing these small graces, while we are waiting for that one big answer to our prayer. 

Small graces are those subtle signs of God’s abundant love which He shows us in various ways. He gave us five senses to use, and minds to reason with, so that we will see, hear and awaken to what the Holy Spirit is saying and doing.

If we make ourselves more aware of the small signs that appear every day, they are the signs of His grace, and proof that His presence is with us and working in our lives. If we don’t look and listen for it, we can easily miss it.

God said to us through these words, “My grace is sufficient for you, and My power is perfected in your weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

I remember when my son, Jon was still in the coma after his accident, and I went to the UPS store to pick up his mail. A different clerk was working the desk that day, and as he brought me Jon’s mail, he stopped and asked me how Jon is doing. He then proceeded to tell me that since he first heard about his accident, he started praying every day for him. I was touched by his compassion, and yet, I never saw that clerk again. 

What are the chances that a total stranger, UPS store clerk, would stop to tell me that he has been praying for my son? It’s very unlikely, unless God is sending me a sign, that His grace is sufficient for me and that He is with me in this trial.

I remember the day I went to the bank to bring my legal guardianship papers for Jon’s bank account, and as I was explaining the situation to the banker, an older lady, who was a customer there, walked up to me. She apologized for overhearing what happened to my son and asked his name, saying that she wanted to add him to her prayer list. Another total stranger approaches to tell me they were praying for my son?

This was not a coincidence, but another small grace of God.  

Sometimes God sends another type of grace as a sign, like the story shared by a man regarding his serious fear of flying. He had to fly somewhere to speak for his particular ministry, and to calm his anxiety, before boarding the plane, he read the scripture in Matthew 6:26, where Jesus said His Father takes care of all the birds of the air, and how much more important we are to God, than those birds. 

With that scripture in his mind, he boarded the plane and sat in his window seat. Right outside his window, perched on the wing of the plane looking at him, was a small sparrow. He knew it was no coincidence, but a small grace and a sign of comfort that came from God. 

Small graces can come through someone’s words, prayers, a kind deed or an unusual sign in nature. It’s like a whisper in our ear or a tap on the shoulder assuring us that God is here, and His grace will bring us through it all. His power is made perfect in our weakest moments. His grace is with us at all times, in all things, and for all that we need. 

Sometimes, He simply leads other people to us, who are going through the same trial that we are going through. This happened after becoming acquainted with the parents of another man in the same Nursing Home as Jon. He is there after suffering a deadly fentanyl overdose, yet woke up after being on life support. He is almost the same age as Jon, and is now awake but still unable to speak. His parents and I share the grace and unity of having adult sons who both survived a brain injury. 

God’s presence can be felt through meeting others, who share a similar adversity. I believe God purposely brings them our way, as one of His many graces to encourage us and give us strength. 

Then there are those surprise grace filled moments of progress, like the day Shantel, a nurse assistant, told me that Jon set off the emergency door alarm and then turned to her and said “I’m sorry.” 

He has had some intermittent moments of clarity like that. 

Fourteen months after his accident, his progress continues as he started walking longer distances on his own. 

Lord, thank you for all the small graces that we receive each day. Open our hearts to recognize that it is You, who sends us signs of your Presence, along with blessings of comfort, grace and love. Amen