Friday, July 25, 2014

Frightened of God

I went to a little after school Bible club when I was in first grade and in the beginning of second grade. Believe it or not, it was held in the school. I remember watching the flannel graph board as the teacher told the stories of Jesus. I never doubted that Jesus was a real person or that God was real. So, when the teacher taught us the Bible verse, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life," I believed her (John 3:16). In fact, that was the only verse that I remembered through the years. I loved my little classes and was sorry that I couldn't continue them when I moved to Kansas during second grade.

After I moved to Kansas, there was an occasional Vacation Bible School; but, for the most part, not a whole lot of training. My mom did teach me to say the child's prayer, "Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. God bless Mommy. God bless Daddy. God bless John. God bless Grandma and Grandpa...." You get the idea. Let me tell you; I wasn't too keen on the "if I should die before I wake" part! It kept me just a little afraid of God.

For a little while after my mom and dad divorced, we went to church with one of my mom's friends. I went to the 6th grade Sunday School class. I remember feeling like I was so hopelessly behind that I'd never learn this Bible stuff. I also remember feeling like the preacher was looking right at me when he gave the sermon. I tried to slouch down and disappear behind the grown ups around me.



As I grew older, I grew in sin and in stature and became a teenager. I had more to be ashamed of than just the confession I'd made in that class that I hit my brother. The teacher had asked me to confess my sin when I asked Jesus into my little heart. Now, I'd said hateful words, seen things on t.v. and movies that were bad, had bad thoughts, hit my brother more. You get the idea. Every once in awhile, I'd go over to a friend's house, and her religious mother would have Billy Graham or someone else on t.v. talking about God. I remember feeling intensely ashamed and frightened of God. I knew that I was dirty with sin. I knew He could see what I'd done and knew what I thought. I didn't run to Him, though. I ran away.

God didn't give up. I'd find tracts with the way to salvation lying around in public places. I had to read them. I had to find a way to get rid of this guilt that was building up. Even so, I just didn't quite believe it would work. I just knew I was going to go to hell. I was still frightened.



Finally, on New Year's Day, 1980, I was watching the PTL Club show. Jim Bakker was interviewing a lady who had been a drug addict. She had turned to Jesus, had been saved, and had been delivered from her drug addiction. A lightbulb went on in my head and my heart. This woman had done stuff that was way worse than what I'd done. Isn't it like us to compare even our sins to others' to try to make ourselves feel better? Anyway, I finally had this revelation:



If God had forgiven this woman, maybe He could forgive me, too.



So, when Jim Bakker lead the sinners' prayer, I asked Jesus to forgive me and asked Him into my heart. I became a Christian that day January 1, 1980. I asked my mom if we could go to church. I knew Christians were supposed to go to church. She wasn't interested at that time. So, I had to think of something else. I kept watching PTL on the little t.v. in my bedroom that Grandma Mamie and Grandpa Frank had given me. It was a great way to start the day.


Soon it was time to go back to school. I saw a girl on the bus, named Kim, who had always been nice to me, even when others were mean. I went up to her and asked her to take me to church with her. After she picked herself up off the floor of the bus (just kidding), she agreed to take me to her church. I got permission from my mom and went to Rolling Hills Christian Church with her. It didn't occur to me that there might be more than one kind of church. God just took care of me. The next Sunday, Pat, the lady who lived on the property behind our 3 acres, showed up at our door to take me to church. And the next Sunday and the next Sunday and the next Sunday! She came with bulldog tenacity! Good thing, too. I didn't have a chance to get away from God this time. ~smile~


A few weeks later, I went forward at concert with my friend Kim and Pat's daughter. I actually thought they wanted me to go up because they were afraid to go up themselves. Surprise surprise! A couple of weeks later I went forward at church to confess Jesus, be baptized, and join the church. That little country church family became my family. They were there for me during some really hard things. Ah, but that's another story for another day.


Friend, are you frightened of God? Do you think you're too bad? Too sinful? Too dirty? I did, too. We are all bad, sinful, and dirty. BUT GOD made a way for us to come to Him and become good, righteous, and clean. His name is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He said Himself that He is the Way the Truth and the Life. No man comes to the Father except through Him.


Jesus paid the price for our sins by taking our punishment on the cross at Calvary. "If we confess our sins, He (God) is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9



We must run to God. We must confess. We must ask forgiveness. We must ask Jesus to be our Lord and Savior. God is willing and able to forgive our sins. He wants us.

Are you willing?


Laura
I shared this back in 2009, but I felt it was time to share it again.
~~~~~
May I suggest?

 Philosophy 101 and Truth ~ A Must-See Movie: God's Not Dead

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Sunday, July 20, 2014

Royal Delights and Precious Moments

Precious Moments Chapel
Royal Delights inside the Visitors' Center
 
Lowell and I on grand opening day.
 
Lowell preparing a meal.
 
The view just before you reach the atrium.
 
In the Carthage, Missouri area? Come visit!

Blessings from Harvest Lane Cottage, Royal Delights, and Precious Moments!
Laura

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Notice


This is not just a review blog.  Life has just been too busy lately.  It's been 23 years since I've worked outside the home.  Now I've added several hours of work each week at Royal Delights.  So, lots of things are not getting done the way I want them to be done. I already had a long to do list.  Someday I'll get to it.

So, I appreciate your patience with me.  I will write as I can.  Hopefully I'll find a new normal that will work for our family soon.  May God bless you and give you hope and peace this summer.

This is not a good-bye or see ya later post.  It's just a "why so many reviews?" post.  Perhaps I'll write a post soon with some pictures of the cafe.

Blessings,
Laura

Saturday, July 12, 2014

In the Words of Jane Austen...


"To sit in the shade on a fine day and look upon verdure is the most perfect refreshment."

Verdure is green growing vegetation.  Think grass and trees and plants. Having a new puppy has taken me outside much more often lately for obvious reasons.  I love the big old shade tree in our front yard.  It's some kind of Maple.  I think it would take two people to get their arms around the trunk.  

God's so good to provide cooler shade on hot days.  Just think.  He didn't have to make it cooler in the shade, but he did.  I'm also thankful that our creek is cold even in the summertime.  It's just about a quarter mile walk down the pasture then we can take that first icy step into the water.  You know the one.  The step that makes you think you want to get right back out.  ~smile~  The one that you cringe over just before the kids splash that frigid water all over you.

May God bless you.  Enjoy your week!
Laura
Blessed




Friday, July 4, 2014

July 4th


 Happy Independence Day!

From the National Archives