​Hey- Did you hear the one about….??
 
I bet you thought I was going to tell you a joke, huh?
 
According to the title of this blog and its first line, if I were reading it, I would have thought that, too!  We would both be laughing and having fun.  But…things are often not as they appear!

​Honestly, I have to share some rather revealing news with you, so bear with me as I try to be vulnerable and transparent.  You are not the one “cracking me up!”  You see, I’ve been cracked and broken for quite sometime  - just not willing to face it or admit it to anyone!   And that’s not funny!  Sure, I know that we all face some breaks, and if the truth were known, we could probably all share a time when we were desperately on our face feeling as though the world would crumble in on top of us.  That’s when we surrendered and came to know Christ as Savior.  Yes, Savior!  Saving us from ourselves, saving us from such pain, saving us from certain lifestyles, saving us from destruction.  But ultimately, saving us from sin and death – separation from Him.  Whew!  Thank God for my Savior…literally!

​One day this past week, feeling overwhelmed by the number of broken things around me, I needed an escape!  A place for my eyes to rest and my emotions to stop escalating from everything I noticed – I needed a place to re-focus, calm down, and get back to my happy place!  Surprisingly, I found myself at LA Office Supply.  Ahhh! As I walked around and listened to the soft “elevator” music, I noticed the air in the building was cool, the shelves were neatly arranged.  Everything was pristine, new and placed as if it were standing at attention, facing forward! It was a sea of papers, pens, markers, certificate frames, binders, and everything for “recording” purposes.  I thought to myself, “here we all are, like little people, writing life…recording events…framing them…and all lined up, perfectly in order!”  WHAT WAS I THINKING?!!!!  Life is NEVER that way and people are certainly NOT!  Messy is everywhere!  And who has it all together anyway?  No one!  We are all broken.  We all have some weakness.  We are all hurting and have some sort of pain in our lives.  It’s what we do with the brokenness that counts. 

​God allows us to be “cracked up.”  I have found that it is in brokenness and pain that I am drawn closer Him.  He uses that in my life because often that’s what it takes to get my attention.  It is His heart of love, sometimes tough love, that keeps me under His wing.  I fall to my knees.  My lamenting prayers are music to His ears for they are raw, unfiltered, and unedited.  They come from a heart that realizes my only hope is Christ.  And you know what, God often uses trusted people around me to show His love and remind me of hope.  He orchestrates events and plans out moves like a life-sized chess game.  Why even this week, God orchestrated a little drive that led me to a friends house.  As it turned out in our conversation, she offered her backyard and deck (overlooking a creek) for me to pull away to write or simply enjoy some alone time with God.  She had no clue that my heart had desired a place by some water to just sit and reflect!  Isn’t God good?!  He orchestrates life and events because He sees the bigger picture!  Are we ever really going to trust His heart?  I have to be reminded on a frequent basis that He knows what He is doing! …and it’s for my good!
 

Again this week, I came across this little devotional and found it helpful.  So helpful in fact, I felt as though I was chess piece God was using to share it with a friend.  Here is the site incase you would also like to read it. The book, devo, and video are from Ester Fleece. (Disclaimer: I have not read the book, but it looks really interesting!) 

 Faithgateway Devotional from July 26, 2017 by Esther Fleece
 http://www.faithgateway.com/permission-to-lament/#.WX84q62ZPow

We are all finding ways to cope with our brokenness.  We are not alone for it is the way of life.
Be blessed and know that prayer is covering you every day, and when people forget and get too busy to remember and pray, we have Jesus who intercedes for us.  Because He sits at the right hand of God Himself, I can just imagine Jesus whispering in His ear, on our behalf, telling him how much we mean to him and that we are his chosen and beloved bride.  He want’s what is best for us because He loves us with all of His heart!  Can’t you just imagine the throne room even now?! 
 
The Broken Way by Ann Voskamp was recommended to me in January during a time when I was really struggling. When I felt to my wits end and needed to share, I must admit, my friend’s words were hard to swallow. She said, “My friend, you are broken.  And it’s okay!”  It was only then that the weight on my shoulders slid off and I confessed that she was right.  I am broken.  Have been.  It’s okay.  Jesus heals and restores my soul. 
 
While I was writing this blog, I remembered one I wrote some long time back.  If you are feeling broken today, I encourage you to read or re-read this blog as well. 
http://www.restore-ministries.net/blog/my-little-broken-cup

The image God gave me of Jesus, our Bridegroom, whispering in His ear continues to replay in my mind.  Kathy and I are excited about the upcoming overnight Restore Retreat beginning Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017.
It's theme is ​Awaken to the Pursuit of the Bridegroom.  If you are needing to break away (no pun intended) to restore solace, I encourage you to register.  Our time together is rich in the Word, joyful in fellowship, and sweet with Worship. 

Forever on His mind & in His Heart,
​Sherry

MY BELOVED

You are beautiful to Me! You have stolen my heart, my bride!
In My eyes there is no flaw in you.
Delight in Me. Let your soul rejoice for I have clothed you
with My garments of salvation and a robe of righteousness.

By My grace you have been saved. It is My gift to you.
I have called you to a holy life, not because of anything you have done
but because of My purpose and My grace.
Because of your love for Me
you can know that I will work all things for your good.

    My love is better than life. Let your lips glorify My name.
Lift up your hands in My name and sing praises to Me as long as you live.
I will satisfy your soul, beloved.
Come, My child, let Me lavish My great love on you.
My precious bride, I have committed Myself to you forever,
in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion and in faithfulness.

     Rejoice in Me always. Rejoice! I am near.
Do not be anxious about anything. Let Me hear your requests in prayers
and petitions with thanksgiving in your heart and you will know My peace.
It will guard your heart and mind in My Son.
Put your hope in Me and I will give you rest.

    Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things.
I have hidden your life with Christ in Me. He is your life.
When He appears in glory you will appear with Him also.
Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--
think about these things, My love.

All that you have learned or received or heard from Me,
or seen in Me—put it into practice and My peace will be with you.
    Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom
and strength and honor and glory and praise!

I am the Lord God Almighty who reigns.
Rejoice and be glad and give Me glory!
Make yourself ready for the wedding of the Lamb. 
​
    I will have compassion on you and guide you beside springs of water.
I will satisfy your needs and strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
Are you thirsty, My beloved? Come to Me and drink.
Believe in Me as the Scripture has said,
and streams of living water will flow from within you.


SS 4:1,7, 10, Is. 60:10, 2 Tim. 1:9, Rom. 8:28, Psalm 63:1-5, Is. 49:10, Hos. 2:19, 20, Phil 4: 4-6, 
Psalm 71:14, Col. 3:2-4, Phil 4:8,9, Rev. 4:12, 19:6-7, Is. 58:11, John 7: 37, 38 NIV Bible​

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​

The last gift that I brought Melissa was a small bouquet of white roses with some sprigs of rosemary.  When I walked into her room I told her I had brought her a wedding bouquet because she was going to meet her Bridegroom. She was unable to respond in her last days, but I sensed in her spirit she knew. I sang over her that night and we had a season of prayer and when I left her, I kissed her forehead and whispered, "You are His precious Bride, sweet Melissa, and your heavenly Bridegroom, Jesus is waiting for you. He has prepared a heavenly home for you in glory! Now rest my dear friend in the arms of your Savior. You are His Beloved."

​And yes, there were many tears as I drove home that night and will be in the days ahead, but I can rest in the hope and promises of His Word, for now our sweet Melissa is enjoying the fullness of the Lord's presence in heaven. I rejoice that now she wears an everlasting crown of joy and rejoices with singing in worship of the Lamb who has overcome the power of sin and death. He alone is worthy of all the honor, glory and praise. Hallelujah!

Held in His love and comfort,
​Kathy

Spiritual intimacy is beautifully portrayed for us in the theme of Bridehood as seen throughout the Scriptures. We are the Bride of Christ, pursued by our Bridegroom Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Come take a journey with Restore Ministries through the Word as we discover the beauty and power of genuine bridal devotion.

Do you desire to know Christ in a deeper intimate way?
On this retreat we will explore the Scriptures and ancient Jewish wedding customs to discover how they relate to the teachings and heart of Jesus for you as His Bride.

Register now to join us as we  explore Our Position, Divine Passion, and His Purpose for us as the Bride of Christ. May we draw near as His beloved Bride and honor Christ as King. It is our prayer that the Lord will awaken our hearts to the pursuit of our Bridegroom in this wonderful retreat! 
​
Restore Women's Retreat
Please make plans to join us September 30 - October 1 
Location: Solomon Conference Center, Loranger, LA
Cost: $192 ~ Covers lodging, 3 meals, & supplies
Limited Space Available

Melissa loved attending Restore Retreats and understood the importance of pulling away and soaking in the beauty of God's wonder in creation and the power of His Word. ​
​We are pleased to announce that the Melissa Baugh Parrino memorial fund has been set up in her honor to offer scholarships for women who need financial assistance to attend Restore Retreats and events. If you have a need, please email us at [email protected].
If you would like to donate to this fund to offer assistance to women, please click the button below.
​ For more information click Melissa's Memorial Fund.

​Ahh! The glow of light dancing in through the window was just enough to break the darkness as I shuffled slowly to my favorite spot on the sofa.  Early.  Alone.  Quiet!  It is rare that I get to experience any extended time here by myself before my mind begins its race to list making in order to fill every moment with “should do’s” and “have to’s.”  Activities that are difficult to escape, crowd my mind, and cramp my style.  Often my list is frustrating because it takes two people to accomplish and well…let’s face it, my list and his list doesn’t have the same level of importance.  It’s times like that when I wish I had a magic wand.  Circle three times and with a flick of the wrist, poof! Sudden order!  Broken things fixed!  Space widened. Bills paid and thousands in the bank!  Laughter and dancing!  Such wishful thinking!  But this is real life, not a magical imaginary land where everything is perfect or handled with a flick of the wrist. 

​Then, I go back to “ahh,” the quiet of the morning.  Fresh. New.  Quiet.  A few moments left to allow my soul to breathe.  The suns light is now reflecting on the leaves of the trees outside of my window.  Beautiful lime green leaves placed upon the backdrop of a baby blue sky.  Oh to linger a little longer without my mind spinning perpetually and worrying about the day at hand.  Nature.  It provides my soul with quiet peace.  Morning by morning new mercies I see. 

Creeeeekkk!  My heart sank as I suddenly heard the squeaking floor above my head.  That could only mean one thing.  He’s up! My silence is now erased and my thoughts are consumed with those tasks that I’d like to escape.  The newness of early morning has quickly faded and the air conditioner blowing informs me that it’s going to be another hot day.  I ask myself again, why do I live in south Louisiana?! Then I am reminded that godliness with contentment is great gain! …follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.  1 Timothy 6:6,11
My heart is pricked with conviction for it’s the faith, love and patience part that I have trouble with! The longer I sit here and write, the more that the words LOVE and PATIENCE scream out.  Love is patient and kind, not selfish.
​Love patiently accepts all things. It always trusts, always hopes, and always endures. 1 Corin. 13:7 NCV 

​The same is true with the love from the Lord.  He is always patient with me.  He is kind and entrusts me with many things.  He is the God of hope.
“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Rom. 15:13
His love for me is unfailing and always enduring. Ps. 136 makes it quite evident!
​
My heart strives for this kind of character (love and patience) and to make it more evident in my actions! 

​It is in the quiet places that I am reminded of all that God is to me!  Life is rarely quiet.  We must make time for it. 
                           Desire it. 
                                    Seek it. 
                                          Demand it. 
                                                    Savor it. 
                                                           Secure it!
And in those quiet places, allow your soul to breathe in the beauty of the Holy.  You are His beloved.  He has much to share with you if you’ll take time away…truly away…to hear His still small voice.  It only becomes more recognizable when the chaos is broken by silence.  Even now I am reminded that the words “Silent” and “Listen” contain the same letters! 

This weeks musing was written by my Aunt Judy Ingle a couple of years ago.  I have waited to post it for the right timing. Today, it just seems right!  She has battled many illnesses, including breast cancer, and always bounces back.  For that I am grateful!  But this week has been a mix of emotion.  Melissa, the long time friend of mine and Kathy, moved into her new residence on the first of this month...Heaven!  Before I left for a little trip to visit Judy, I stopped by to visit Melissa hoping that I'd get to see her again upon my return.  When I walked into her bedroom, I saw an empty chair by her bedside.  It was that chair that family and friends sat to comfort her, pray with her, and to sing over her!  When I saw that chair, my heart was touched and my memory of this blog came to mind.  That chair was NOT empty!  It was the place where the Holy Spirit sat to comfort Melissa, intercede for her, and sing over her! (2 Corinthians 1:3-5, Hebrews 7:25, Zephaniah 3:17). I'll never see an empty chair in the same way!  Today, let me encourage you.  If you are feeling alone, afraid, uncertain of the future, or simply weary of days gone by, put your trust in the ONE who cares for you affectionately!  Cast your cares...all of them...on Him for He cares so much for you! (1 Peter 5:7 I like the Amplified Version for this verse!) You are never alone.  He will comfort you, pray for you, and sing over you!  May you be blessed and encouraged by Judy's blog today.
​Sherry

​He was there in a lonely hospital room. The room was vast, empty, and cold. It was certainly not inviting, not even a bed to lessen the huge open space.  I had never been in such a large vacant hospital room before.  My bed was to fill the emptiness. I read once that emptiness is an invitation to evil and I wanted no part of that.   As I was rolled into the room it was devoid of warmth; I was cold even with the warm blankets the staff so graciously had placed upon me.  I studied the room... I noticed a single chair, and a double seater, which seemed odd, and a lot of medical paraphernalia on the wall.   I felt so alone.  Then, suddenly the stark white walls, well, they seemed to speak and my thoughts were of the spotless Lamb of God and the purity of Christ. He was there!  I wasn't alone; He, my "Paraclete,” the one who walks beside me, never leaving me alone was with me.  I remember my Pastor Bro. Jimmy Sasser, so long ago taught us about the ever abiding of the Holy Spirit: He, the Holy Spirit, being our "Paraclete."  I am still thankful today for the anointed messages he brought and the wisdom he so lovingly shared.  Thank you Bro. Jimmy!   As I continued to look around I once again spotted the double seater. Two people would be sitting so close, side-by-side.  It just seemed different in the room.  I was lost in thought as I recalled the scripture saying that He would never leave me nor forsake me (Hebrews 13:5).  He is there all the time.  Walking before me, walking along side me, and patiently awaiting my acknowledgement and praise. 

​The warming sun was now shinning through the large windows.  The brightness brought about a sweet peace in me as I thought about the unknown and my inability to see the path I was about to travel.  This was an unexpected trial but with an intended divine outcome.  Trials do come in multiple colors but the Master Designer decides on the color scheme that will produce in us the image of Christ.   2nd Corinthians says:  "My grace is sufficient for thee:  for my strength is made perfect in weakness."   The scripture also tells us we go from "strength to strength."  A. W. Tozer wrote that life in God's presence should be known to us in conscious experiment, it is a life to be enjoyed every moment of every day.  I know He is the Light of the world and His light would be a comfort and a surety for me; He is always in control and there are no surprises to Him. 

Within minutes my bed was situated and the room was filled with hospital workers all doing their necessary tasks to make sure I was taken care of and my needs met.   I hadn’t known that my family was right behind the staff.  How precious to know they were with me all the way, only I couldn't see them, reminding me of my "Paraclete" walking along side me without really seeing Him.  I read once about a lady whose problems "crowded her to Christ;” I think I know how she must have felt.  Quickly the room had gone from "nothingness" to a place of great care and love and warmth.  As the staff continued their work, I gazed at the single chair and began thinking of how I am to rest in Him.   Also, as I was surveying the room, there was one more seat I had noticed.  It was the recliner that made a bed. This would be for my sweetheart, Jimmy.  I had been drawn and kind-of in knots from fear when I entered the room, but God graciously began showing me how I can not only rest in Him but I can relax; I could lay down all cares and become free from all fear.  Giving it all to Him I could now peacefully recline in His blessed peace.   Soon this unfamiliar became familiar and the room took on a different feeling as each need was being taken care of, reminding me again just how my Savior supplies all my needs according to His riches in glory (Philippians 4:19).  As I continued to look around, again my eyes were planted on the double seater.  Was He giving me reassurance of His presence beside me?  I believe He was.

​I sensed that I needed to pause and listen to His still small voice.  It is not always easy but it does allow opportunity to see His hand working while hearing his voice of comfort.  Why do I allow busy days and mundane activities to dominate my life?  Our days here on earth are so brief.  Job's wisdom cautioned us that,  "Our days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle  (Job 7:6)."  When we consider time and the abilities God has given us, we are faced with the urgency of time and how important our moments are and our need to be wise with each minute we live and are well.  I cannot recall who said,  "God antedates time and is wholly independent of it,” but it is so true.  Every moment we have the responsibility to keep alive our spiritual thought process for our benefit as well as others and for the praise of Christ.

Again, the depth of the azure blue sky seemed to offer a calm I could not explain but I perceived it was His Holy Spirit comforting me.  Later, I recalled asking Melanie what she saw outside the window.  She said there was nothing really to see but the side of the hospital building.  Well, I had seen the beauty of God's sky as He was revealing His truth to me. He knew what I needed to see.  I had found a solace in Him.    It was then the nurse began to tell me that I was in one of the two largest rooms in that unit.  That's why it was so large and overwhelming.  I had quickly become aware that everything I was seeing was representing spiritual things; that has so amazed me.  I entered this vast room and immediately began to sense things of the Lord.  Through discernment I know He had gone before me preparing the way just as He always does.  (Mark 1:2)  It was so uncanny.  I even mentioned to Sherry that I believe I had a blog in the making.  I read once that,  "A moment to write is a moment too short but not a moment to be wasted."  So then and there I knew these thoughts were given to me and I wanted to share what God had done for me.  I was completely surrounded by his love and comfort.   I realize my time in the hospital was not as scary or serious as some others but I am thankful that He chose to speak to me in my weakness and comfort me with spiritual thoughts and insights. Precious and priceless are His blessings. I would never mislead anyone to think I am always where I should be in my Christian life, thoughts and otherwise, but I do know the scripture in Isaiah 30:21, "And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left." For this I am also thankful.   My prayer is that I will always open my ears and my heart to His promptings.
​
In His Love, Judy Ingle