NCarolinian

There are some situations and circumstances in my life that I would not wish on anybody. However, there are some cases where nothing satisfies like an empathizing friend or brother/sister in Christ. Finding out that one of your friends, Christian or not, has had a similar, if not exact, challenge in their life takes away the loneliness - the why is this happening to me feeling - of the situation. Empathy gets even better when a friend shares his/her experience and then comes alongside you to help anyway possible. It is one thing for a friend or acquaintance to share they have been in the same spot you are now. It is another thing for empathizers to display their love and care. I realize that some situations are sensitive and may require the asking of permission to get involved, but at least do that - step forward and show that you are willing to put actions behind your good wishes and been-there-done-that speech. I have got Good News for all of us - "For we do not have a hig...

It is from our challenges, encouragements and rough edges that - if we allow the change - improvements are realized. Sure noticing the good points of anybody, anything or any situation will traverse you down the road a spell. However, knowing we can never attain perfection means there is always room for improvement, maturity, or betterment in some fashion. Pastor Eddie Cortes said, "God uses broken people like you and me to rescue broken people like you and me."   I agree, just take a look at the lives of The Disciples. When Christ called them to follow Him, He was not calling individuals who "had it together" in every way, especially spiritually. No. Far from the notion of perfection were the lives Jesus called unto Himself. Why is this? Those that feel and think they are complete or complete enough have closed the door on learning and improvement.  Those on-the-other-hand with a humble spirit, open mind and creative thinking tend to leave the door of opportuni...

When I was much younger, my family (the home/house) consisted of Mom, Dad, Josh and Grandma. Usually, when I was home weekdays so was everybody else except Dad. My Father worked two careers and wherever I was in my split-level house when he came home - I knew it was him coming through the door.  Some telltale signs of his arrival were the rattling of his keys as he unlocked the door and entered. Another sign he was home was Mom's verbal greeting and loving greeting of a kiss. However, what seems to stand out to me the most as the sign Dad was home was the sound of his hard sole shoes on our hard wooden floor. Knowing Dad was safely home would always elicit a smile and comfortable sigh from me. It was then that I felt and knew our family was complete, a unit again. This is an atmosphere that God has been communicating to me repeatedly lately. An atmosphere of God's Omni-Presence in my life.  Recently, I went through another situation where I wanted to understand God bu...

Each one of us has many needs.  The burdens of life seem to increase as we grow older. Now-a-days that seems to happen quicker and more intensely than I remember when I was growing up. Back in my more youthful days there was something sacred and worthy of a vacation. Even moreso was if there was a Campfire involved in that vacation. Ah, vacations. This usually meant a change of scenery (i.e. the beach, the mountains, a campground, etc...). To "Get-Out-of-Dodge" was a refreshing start to a time of momentarily forgetting our troubles, setting aside our needs and re-energizing our "batteries". However, at least for me, when we had them, the campfire was the time that really sealed the deal. The campfire - even as I would approach it on a clear, stary night - would melt all my remaining concerns away. The campfire seemed to unify everybody. We were all around it receiving warmth and light from it and enjoying each others company all at the same time. No burdens, ...

Now-a-days I feel like playing the part of an ostrich and keeping my head stuck in the sand. Not that I am coping-out of life, but I find that every time I do retreat for a while and return to life – things and people have not changed. Christ Jesus even says in Luke 18:8 – “when the Son of Man returns, will He find faith on the earth?” I take the pessimistic view in answering that question. Sure, there will be faith when Christ returns, but not like The Lord desires. I believe we are in the Laodicean church age – the luke-warm church age spoken of in Revelation 3:14-22. I have heard it said that Christ is coming back for a spotless bride. Those that call Him Lord and Savior and live accordingly are already made spotless – in regard to their salvation . However, this side of Heaven there is no way Christians can attain a spotless condition – in regard to their works or deeds . We are battling with nature, nurture, Satan and self. The only times The Bride is made spotless are ma...

Do you want to know Christ's daily routine when He was here on earth? "Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives," (Luke 21:27) . It is no wonder Scripture records - "Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written." (John 21:25) His teaching astonished the people ( Matthew 22:33 ). His teaching amazed the peopled so much because He taught with authority ( Mark 1:22 ). His teaching was "hard" at times and difficult to "accept" .  After Christ spoke about Himself as The Bread of Life, "many of His disciples said, 'This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?'" (John 6:60)   However, from all the astonishment, from all the amazement, from all the difficulty the Disciples encountered with the teachings of Jesus - there...

There is a saying on my computer that greets me every day, it says, "Stop hating yourself for everything you aren't. Start loving yourself for everything that you are." This message was recently confirmed to me through one of my favorite Christian authors - brother Rick Renner - in his monthly newsletter I subscribe to. In Rick's exhortation, he mentioned 2 Corinthians 10:12. The verse reads -  "We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise."   Mr. Renner explained that although this verse addresses believers in Corinth who thought themselves spiritually superior, "there is a principle in this verse that the Holy Spirit used to help set me free from the spirit of inferiority that tried to plague me as I stepped out to obey God's call on my life. And it is exactly the point I want to get across to you today...