The Blessing of If

Such a tiny little word with so much potential. One little conjugation, two letters, packing so much punch. Mr. Webster tells us that if could indicate, "in the event that......allowing that..... on condition that.....even though ..... it is also used as a function word to introduce an exclamation expressing a wish ...."
In this case, the if that captured my fancy this morning was related to a special place in GOD's Word ~ the book of Deuteronomy. I have these words written at the top of the page of Deuteronomy 28 .... The blessing of If .... The entire passage is GOD's iteration of His Covenant with us. He wants to bless us. So He gives us the ifs.....

"If you will listen diligently to the voice of the Lord your GOD, then....."
And the blessings are stated. Personally, I like all these blessings. I would much rather live and walk in the blessings of GOD rather that what follows ~ the but if.....
Oooooooooo....the but ifs aren't so much fun.
Basically it's like this; you listen to GOD and do what He says (not a big deal) and you are blessed beyond your wildest dreams. Or you don't, and it's not so pretty for you. All we have to do is look around us and see the lives people lead, the frustrations, the heartaches, the struggles, the anxiety, the fears, etc, etc, etc...... Personally this is a no-brainer for me.
Blessing or curse..... uh....DUH! I'll take Blessing, Alex for $1000. Actually, it's priceless. (sounds like a commercial? uh huh...)
But this is no commercial. It is eternal fact. If you will.......then I say.......
You have to read the book to get "the rest of the story."

The blessing of if . . . . . . I'm all about the if.

See you in the high places!

Sharoni
...giving voice to those with none....

An Urgent Kind of Love

"You cannot touch your neighbor's heart with anything less than your own."

Powerful statement, isn't it? "To 'love your neighbor as yourself' requires the same kind of love. It's a love that notices the need of another person and won't rest until it's been met. It's a gentle, tender love that thinks and acts carefully. It's the sacrificial and compassionate love that a nameless Samaritan had for a fallen traveler. It's the kind of love GOD wants to share with your neighbors through you."

This is my daily goal. It's what I hope to do every day in whatever way I can....a smile, a simple, "hello, how are you?", speaking a blessing, showing a kindness by paying for someone's lunch I don't know have never seen before & probably never will again. I actually missed out on that opportunity once and it haunts me to this day. I saw a young lady at a drive-up in front of me and it was taking a long time for her to pay. She tried one card after another, all returned to her in short order. My heart went out to her. I am still so disappointed in myself that I did not get out of my car and go up to pay for her! Haunting disappointments. But do we let that drag us down? No.....it's a very simple and painful reminder to never let it happen again.
What did Jesus say? Oh yeah....."if you give a cup of water unto the least of these, you give it to Me." Yeah.....I won't let that pass me by again. My heart hurts at the memory. I've been that young woman in the car. The humiliation and helplessness you feel in those circumstances is, well, simply that.

For whatever His reasons, GOD has chosen to allow us to be the representatives of His love on this earth. That is a daunting task, for sure.

Breathe.....love.....
it's that simple!

Off to love some people today!

Sharoni
...giving voice to those with none....

Redirectes

This was the title of my devotional this morning. It shared the story about a young and very successful pianist who lost his ability to play. This fellow was world-renown. After walking through his downtime and adjustment period, he became a teacher and conductor. He said that he loved music more than he loved the piano.
I just noticed that my title had a typo; I had intended to entitle it "Redirected," just as the devotional page did. But as I reached to change it, I stopped. No, leave it as it is. It is meant to be that. Redirects......how many of those have I had in my life? How many have we all experienced? By choice, by consequence of choices, by life circumstances beyond our control.......whatever the reason, whoever said that redirects are a bad thing?

Artists inherently seek to raise the bar and tweak and achieve a place never experienced before in their medium. Most of my life I never considered myself an artist.....I've addressed that many times before.......I never considered myself a true musician. I thought that "true" musicians possessed talent way beyond my own. I always said, Oh I have talent, but not that kind of talent. Phooey!
I realize now that I really am an artist......an artist in music appreciation and expression......an artist with words from time to time........an artist in my ability to appreciate people in all their complexities and lovliness.........an artist in my ability to have a conversation of substance with anyone, almost anywhere and almost anytime - but that always comes at the LORD's direction. And I am an artist in my ability to capture vision. Artists see the world in all its beauty and all its implied beauty......the potential beyond the realized. If you can look at a fallen branch of a tree and see the beauty in that......you might be an artist! :)

The hard question asked this morning was: "When our dreams are shattered, how do we react?" And the story of Joseph was shared. I know this! Yes.....my dreams have been shattered......and my life was a train wreck for a period of time on more than one occassion. But those times.....those shattered dreams are what have allowed me to flourish in this season of my life. Had I remained in a dysfunctional relationship and stayed in the music industry, who knows where or what I would be right now? Certainly not a nurse. And being a nurse is a life-long dream of mine, held since I was a little girl.
Imagine.......dare to dream.....it is the stuff realities are made of.

Sharoni
....giving voice to those with none.....


"A man's heart plans his way.......but the LORD directs his steps."
Proverbs 16:9

All I Can Do

Ever hear or - Gasp! - say the phrase...."well, all we can do is pray"?
WOW!!!
Are you kidding me?!?!? All??? Tout??

The intercessor in me cringes at the thought of these words in combination. I know that I know that I know what intercession can and will do. It is only limited by our ability to utilize our access to the throne of the Almighty.
I know my GOD. I know Who He Is....I know What He Is....and I know His great love. He loves us....and all He wants is relationship with us. I know who I am in Him....an heiress....royalty....dearly loved by my Creator, Redeemer, and Friend. And I know that because of that love I have access to the Sovereign at all times. The royal scepter is extended toward me anytime I desire to be before Him. Anything that concerns me, concerns Him.
And here is the cool thing. I don't even have to "get" anywhere special to "do" anything unusual for intercession to occur.
When I am discussing a person, a situation, any concern I may have with something...anything, it becomes intercession for me. That is because Christ Jesus is always with me, standing, sitting, walking, beside me and is engaged in any conversation I may be having. When I speak a word, it is released to do its work, because I am that person, the intercessor. My unspoken prayers are never left lying inactive, because Holy Spirit takes them directly to the Throne Room. I don't have to gyrate, meditate, or integrate myself into any type of frenzy to have that access....I already have it! All the time. And there is no limit on how much or how little I have to say or not say for GOD to delegate action in a person's behalf. Because I know that I am speaking His heart over a situation if I have laid down my own personal feelings and preconceptions, and given it to His Holiness. As His royal daughter, it is my right and responsibility to carry concerns of the Kingdom to my Father, the King.

So....all I can ever do.....all I ever should do.....is take matters of state to the Head of State, and let Him do what is His will to do.
My sincere belief is that people who utter the heartwrenching words, "all we can do..." simply do not understand this. There is no judgement here, simply a deep desire that more of us would, "get it," and walk "in it."
Can you even imagine......Kingdom kids acting like the royal heirs that we are?? WOW!!

Sharoni
...giving voice to those with none...

Reflection

This season, the season of lights, is a beautiful time for reflection. A time for enjoying life. A time for enjoying people. A time for enjoying....
The music, the focus, is on triumph, fun, giving, laughing, playing, family, friends, just enjoying...
It is the brightest time of the year...it sparkles. The heavens glitter, the earth glitters, people glitter, everything around us...glitters!
And it is all a reflection of the greatest light ... the love of GOD.

And that's all I have for now....

Sharoni
... giving voice to those with none...

An Autobiography of a Love Affair Between Me and GOD

It's been a long time since the last entry....but who cares, really? This is for me. I don't believe anyone else reads this except my sweetie. But it is out there, just in case..........................

Recently, Max and I were talking about blogging and how much fun it is. He even became inspired and started his own. It will be around for our children when we pass on. That's one thing. As a child who has been missing her parent for 29 years now, I know how much I would cherish any writings my father left me, if he had left me any. But, alas, he did not. So, I have to rely on the old memory banks. Luckily, pictures are worth a thousand words! But, I want my children to have more than just their memories.....I want them to have a piece of my heart. I have a special leather journal with significant quotes, thoughts, and excerpts of writings that are so eloquent that I would not even dare to alter, even with my thoughts regarding them. They stand on their own merit, and the kids can enjoy things that have meant something to me. And yes, the grandbabies as well.

But, yes, there is always a but somewhere out there waiting for insertion........ obviously the most important thing to me during my entire life ~ oh how I love saying that! ~ is my relationship with my GOD.....all of Him. And that's where this idea for an autobiography came into being. I have led a very interesting life. And the key word is lived. So, I will begin this autobiography....it will not be written here, but excerpts from time to time will appear.

This morning I simply say:
"Bless the LORD oh my soul! Bless His Holy Name!"
Psalm 103 is one of the dearest scriptures to me. It has carried me over the past several years; it blesses me to bless the LORD......it lifts me up.....it improves my outlook.....it gives me strength....because I honor Him Who is the source of my strength.
As I work daily with people whose strength wanes, I appreciate what little I have left. And I enjoy understanding that I also have the option to rebuild more strength.
Oh BLESS the LORD....oh my soul!!

In His Love.....

Sharoni
...giving voice to those with none....

The Face of GOD

I just finished a devotional post from a pastor who has been a pastor to us for many, many years now.....virtual, but as real (more so) than many we have often served under. He speaks truth without apology, and his life has been an unwavering and self-sacrificing example of his faith for as long as I've known about him, since about oh....age 14, 15? F0und out about him when his book, "The Cross and the Switchblade" was released. It rocked my world, for sure! So, the words of my "virtual pastor" follow:

“One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after” (Psalm 27:4). King David knew there had to be more to knowing God; he sensed there was something of the Lord he hadn’t obtained, and he would not rest until he found it. He said, in short, “There is a beauty, a glory, an excitement about the Lord I haven’t yet seen in my life. I want to know what it’s like to have uninterrupted communion with my God. I want my life to be a living prayer. Only that will see me through the rest of my days.”

The face of God is his likeness, his reflection. In answering the cry of David’s heart to have intimacy with him, God said, “Seek ye my face.” David’s response was, “Lord, when you said, ‘Seek my face,’ my heart leapt in response.” “My heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek’” (Psalm 27:8).
“Learn of me. Search my Word and pray for understanding through the Spirit, so you can be like me. I want your life to reflect my beauty to the world.”

This was not merely a call to prayer; David had already been praying seven times a day. In fact, David’s prayers are what created this passion in him to know the Lord. No, this call from God was to hunger for a lifestyle that totally reflects who Jesus is.

Today, when God says, “Seek my face,” his words have greater implications than at any other time in history. With all that is going on in the world around us, how should we respond? When David was surrounded by a host of idolaters, God said, “Seek my face.” And we do it for one purpose: that we may be like him! That we become his express image, so that those who seek the true Christ will see him in us."


This is my earnest plea.....LORD....let people see and hear and feel Jesus in me!

Amen....so be it!

Sharoni
. . . giving voice to those with none . . .