Sins of omission… are they really that bad?

A resounding yes, yes, and yes because it is SIN!

For the last couple of weeks I have had this nudging of the Spirit to go to the local nursing home and just visit with some of the ladies. This came to me out of nowhere, which always raises my eyebrow as to what God could possible be up to now... I decided to wait and go during the week I would be off from work travel (this week) because I would have more time. I decided on Sunday night that I would go on Monday. Monday came and I remained busy at the house all day. Guess what? I didn’t go to the nursing home.

I went to the grocery store Monday evening and in the checkout line a few people ahead of me stood an old friend who works in the office at the nursing home…yes that is right…God was yet again reminding me to get to the nursing home! I actually stopped my friend and told her that God was really leading me to make a visit to the nursing home and asked if she would get me a list of ladies that would enjoy a visit and some conversation.

Did I mention my Sunday school lesson for the last couple of weeks has been about sins of omission taken from the book “Return to Holiness” by Dr. Gregory R. Frizzell?

Luke 12:47-48
“The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”

Tuesday rolls around and without further delay I made my stop in the nursing home office to get a list of ladies that I could visit with. I had two in particular on my list and wouldn’t you know they were gone to the beauty shop.

As I was making my way back down the hallway, I happened to notice the sweetest little lady in her wheelchair heading into her bathroom. She appeared to need a bit of help and there wasn’t anyone around. The nurse in me just kicked into action and I assisted this lady to the bathroom. She was okay with it and so was I… kaboom a very intimate friendship born! This lady was so witty and such a joy to be around. In fact, when I was helping her straighten her clothes after being in the bathroom, she laughed about all the fat she had to cover. I said, “well that is funny…I have that same problem.” She then added, “There is one thing for sure…I know I’m not pregnant!” Of course I replied, “Me either!” We both had a nice laugh out of that one!

We continued to visit with each other and throughout our conversation I learned many neat things about my newfound friend. She shared with me that she was still a member of our home church where Greg got saved and the very place he announced his call to ministry. She told me that she had been a member for 80 years and still to this day continues to send her tithe money to the church. This lady was amazing because she was not sad to be living in the nursing home. She was very happy and grateful. She bragged on the meals, staff, and even her roommate. Not one bitter word proceeded from her lips. In all situations, this sweet lady knows contentment through Jesus.

I shared how God had placed it upon my heart to make a visit to the nursing home and I really wasn’t certain as to why. I told her about running into my friend at the grocery and then finally committing to make my visit. Big tears welled up in her eyes and she said, “I guess God knew I was ready to receive from Him and He sent you.” She kept telling me she would pray for my husband and me, but she also kept telling me how the Lord was proud of the work we were doing and she was too. It was so encouraging to have a lady that is in no way attached to the work we do for the Lord to speak such affirming words to me. God wants to bless us in some of the most unique ways if we will just let Him.

I share this story not at all to boast in anything we are doing for the Lord. The Lord does not “need” anything I have to offer, but I have learned He loves each of us so much that He desires us to be a part of His business. He desires you too friends…yes you! My complacency and lackadaisical approach to God’s call for me to visit the nursing home could have cost me a tremendous blessing, but He continued to pursue me until I surrendered to the message and call. Thank you Jesus for your love and patience in all things regardless of how big or small.

Love Them Like Their Lost~

It is so easy to get frustrated with “the church”. I suppose my biggest irritation comes from those that profess to be Christians and tend to sprinkle just enough Godliness into their lives to look like a nice garnish to dress a fine meal.



I have to be the first to admit that it is so much easier to have compassion and love for those that I know are lost. My goodness, at least they have some validation as to why they may live their lives in the way that they do. On the flip side though, I have encountered many lost people that are great people who live upstanding moral lives, but have never experienced the living God personally…they’re lost.

As I was reflecting on this ever-growing frustration that swells inside me, God revealed a new way to approach His beloved creation and I hope you’ll consider this too. Love them like their lost, Kelli. They just might be…

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34

Right up to the final hour in the life of Jesus, He modeled for us the attitude of our heart toward others regardless of the circumstances. Talk about stretching my little prideful Self!

This battle is not between me and another person. It is a spiritual battle that is clearly defined in Ephesians 6:10-12.

Also, adding to that thought…


2 Corinthians 4:4 says…
The god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

If everyone walks around displaying blindness I have to assume they just may not know Jesus Christ. Grasping this truth sheds new light on the situation and gives me a new view of the urgent work to be done.

I am convinced that “the church” at large is filled full with people that do not know Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. Many people are uncomfortable making such a statement, but I’m not and I’ll tell you why. Over the last year, three ladies have come to know the Lord as their Savior and will tell you they either “thought they were saved” or was continually trying to get things right with God as they were confessing sin, but never repenting. I also know what happened in my own life and for many years I lived under the deception that my eternal destiny was secure in Jesus. Sometimes I gasp for air when I ponder the realty that I almost missed salvation, but Jesus rescued me in spite of myself!

Published statistics may vary, but results show that anywhere from 50-80% of the regular church attenders and members are lost.

This year I want to be sure that I love more, listen more, and forgive infinitely so Jesus may be revealed through all that I say or do and just maybe…God will bless me with seeing others come to know His son, Jesus☺

Blessing upon you in 2012!
Kelli

Happy Thanksgiving!

It is that wonderful time of year when families make an intentional effort to clear their calendars and join together for a time of feasting, fellowship, and most importantly a time to give thanks! This tradition started many years ago in a tiny region of New England called Plymouth. I was able to visit Plymouth, MA in 2007 while working in nearby Connecticut and thought I would share some of my pics just for fun!



You know the story...the Pilgrims landed the Mayflower in 1620. The picture of the boat you see here is actually a replica of the original Mayflower and is named the Mayflower II. During my visit in 2007, the natives of Plymouth were actually gearing up to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Mayflower II.



The beautiful columns you see were erected as a marker to surround the gigantic "plymouth rock" that has 1620 carved into its surface. It really is just a big huge rock!



Wishing you and your family a very blessed and Happy Thanksgiving!

Psalm 107:1
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Missing Me-Ma~

Today is the day that marks the one year anniversary of my Me-Ma leaving this earth to enter into the presence of the Lord! As hard as it is to say goodbye to those that we love so dearly, I am forever thankful that I have the assurance in knowing where she is today.



I was able to sit with my Me-Ma for many days leading up to her final earthly moments. The last day, I was holding hands with Me-Ma while praying for her and the thought came to my mind that I should take a picture of our hands holding each other. Somehow I knew on this day...she would be going. To this day, I frequently look at this photo of our hands locked together and have a sense of her presence as I take my mind back to those memories that are forever locked away inside my heart.

When I think of my Me-Ma, the one thing that floods my heart is LOVE! She loved me so well my entire life. She loved me unconditionally just like Jesus loves me. She was an example of Jesus to me here on this earth. Any advice she ever had to offer me was always given out of love with such a gentle spirit. She was funny with a sense of humor that clicked with mine. We were so much like 2 peas in a pod:) She always encouraged me in my marriage and shared many life experiences about her marriage to Pa (Frank Wright). He was a character...

Most importantly, she always pointed me to the cross of Christ in her own special way all throughout the many seasons of change in my life. God is and always has been so very good to me!

Everytime I see a butterfly, I can't help but think back to a conversation Me-Ma and I had one day at her kitchen table. We were just chatting away about random things and somehow the topic of death and being present with the Lord when we leave this earth came up in discussion. I told her I have no idea if this would ever be possible or not...but I often wondered if in the spiritual realm, could you show up in the lives of those left on earth in the form of a butterfly to just let them know you are near and okay. I told her which ever one of us goes to be with the Lord first should show up in the other ones life like a butterfly. I remember a few days after Me-Ma's passing, I was so heartbroken with grief and I recall telling Greg that I just want Me-Ma to land on my arm like a butterfly. So even today, when I see a butterfly, I like to think of it as a gentle reminder of her presence. God has allowed me to take comfort in his creation of the butterfly to find peace and comfort in a sweet little conversation I once shared at the kitchen table with Me-Ma.



He has also given me His promise through Joshua 1:9..."Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

Death is part of life and it comes...but knowing the giver of life allows us to face death with courage and no fear because He goes with us there and ushers us right into our new life...life eternal...with God our Father in heaven!

It's a lonely world out there~

I have hit the road wide open with travel for work once again. I am flying in and out of Newark, NJ weekly. The process of getting from point A to point B allows me to brush elbows and cross paths with so many people that are vastly different while at the same time they are all just alike. As I look around at all the people moving so rapidly to get to their destinations, I often wonder what condition their heart is in. I then think how can I possibly make a difference? I mean good grief…the Bible even warns me that the world is going to hate me. John 15:18 says, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.” Those are real motivating words to pack up and hit the trail for sharing Jesus. I guess at least Jesus gives us warning so we are not caught off guard by the persecution and rejection that is sure to come as we go!

In all honesty, it’s not about some random act of going. He has a very specific plan that is perfect, but we have to listen and go at the sound of His voice that dwells inside of our heart! I know this and try my best to yield to the Spirit as I go out into the world. I have to tell you that sometimes it can be downright lonely out there. Just like last week, I was so very lonely deep inside my heart. I was surrounded by people with such selfish agendas, foul language, and drinking just to name a few things. The part that makes me most sad is to hear how many of the people have no problem referencing their faith or spiritual things, but live out their life in such a way that has no consistency with God’s word. I mean, do they even know what the word of God says? Do they care what the word of God says?

There seems to be no conviction of sin whatsoever and I find myself in situations where I am not led to speak a word, but to just be that example with my actions. We as Christians have to be willing to pass through people’s lives and hold fast to who we are in Christ Jesus regardless of how we may feel. Sometimes, I honestly think I would be more effective if I could travel around the country with a specific agenda to speak to groups seeking after Jesus instead of those that more or less scoff at the name of Jesus.

In all honesty, it comes down to what my newfound friend, Festus shared with me in Washington DC that you may have read about in my previous post. I have to pray and allow the Holy Spirit to move, pray and allow the Holy Spirit to move, and rely on Him always and forever to guide my steps as I go into a world that can tend to get lonely sometimes. If I am brutally honest, and I usually am…it can be very lonely serving inside a group of “church people” because it is not difficult to spot those that are leading a double life. With that said, there is a scary resemblance of those both inside the church and those that are in the world. God help me to continue going into this world while NOT becoming of this world.

He's Alive in the Hearts of His People

Here lately I have been doing a great deal of reflection on my journey with Jesus. There has just been something missing and as always I'm certain to be the problem. I try too hard to figure things out sometimes instead of just turning to God first. I get distracted sometimes and turn to Jesus last. Not my proudest momment, but it happens I must admit.

Anyway, during my time of reflection and searching I ran across a journal entry from December 3, 2007 that described a day in my life that was just like entertaining an angel. It went something like this...

We were landing in DC as we flew right past the Pentagon building. I was praying and asking God if He wanted me to go and prayer walk around the capitol building. I didn't have the right shoes for walking and really didn't want to go on this day, but was willing if God prompted me to do so. I just cried out to God to make Himself real to me on this day because I felt as if I was missing Him so much. I kid you NOT, within 30 minutes I was sitting down having lunch in the airport when a dark skinned gentleman (much like this picture) approached me and asked if he could sit with me to have lunch. This man was on break from his first week at work with the airlines. He spoke English although it was quite broken. Turns out, he is from the Sudan region of Africa. I was quietly talking to God about what to say to this man because I knew I had prayed a short time ago asking God to show Himself real to me. I knew this had to be of God. I blurted out, "Do you celebrate Christmas?" He looked back at me with a grin the size of Texas and said, "oh yes!" He proceeded to tell me that he would go to church. I asked what kind of church and he replied Pentecostal. He went on to tell me that he grew up Muslim, went to Catholic school, and now goes to a Pentacostal church. I became excited with the anticipation that he surely must know my Jesus! I immediately had to ask him if he knew Jesus and without a second of hesitation he volnteered that he was a born-again believer in Jesus Christ! The radient white teeth shining through his smile will forever be burned into my mind. He started to tell me that many people say Jesus is dead, but he took his fist and pounded it upon his heart telling me that He's NOT, Jesus is alive in the hearts of His people. He kept telling me we have to pray and let the Holy Spirit move, pray and let the Holy Spirit move. As his lunch came to an end, he let me know his time was up and he wanted to pray with me. This man reached across the table and took my right hand while praying for me. He then got up and left. I cannot tell you in words what happened inside of my heart during this moment in time. All I can say is He's Alive in the Hearts of His People and He hears our cries. I'm amazed at how the Lord sees the inside of our heart and knows what we need and when we need it. I needed that reminder that He is in fact ALIVE in the hearts of His people. God strolled my memory right back to one of the most powerful times in my journey when He revealed to me how ALIVE He is...and I receive it today!

Remember...We All Need Forgiveness~

I pretty much skipped out on the month of September and just didn't post. I tried, but just couldn't come up with anything. I must admit I've been caught up in a bit of a funk! I have been hanging on by a thread that is almost broken and I hate to admit that, but it is so true! I must say, I am so very thankful for those that have prayed for me and showered me with cards or words of encouragement through this little sad season.

There has been so many things going on in the lives of so many and as I have found myself ministering and loving on others, I can't help but take on their burden as part of my own. I'm pretty sure I will NEVER be immune to that nor do I really want to be. I can't help but hurt when people are hurting as they are reaching out for help. I always want to be ready to share the love of Jesus and point those in great need toward the cross of Christ!



This picture is a reflection of where forgivenss is found and I love it because it reminds me of my constant need for forgiveness in my life. Sure, I have brought many big issues of my life to Jesus, but I still battle so many things that reflect the attitude of my heart that might be less than pleasing to my savior on a good day. For example, I have belly-ached about my living situation for months now. It doesn't help that Kayla is growing wrestless and she's my baby so naturally I want to act fast for her sake. I have tried to orchestrate everything known to man so that things can change in my time and NOT so much God's time. Not a good idea and I don't recommend it:) I ultimately don't want to make any decision outside of God's perfect will for our lives, but sometimes I think I can come up with a great idea and then pray for God to bless it so it is okay to move forward with my plan exactly as I thought it up. HaHa...jokes on me with that one! I know better and am so frustrated that I fall for this tactic everytime I get impatient and tired of waiting. I have been so sideways in my life for the last month, I have fallen way short in my commitment to First Place 4 Health. I should have lost 10 pounds by now and I think with my losses and gains I am at a 2.2 pound loss overall.

The good news in all of this...I have managed to remain in God's word and in my Bible study most every single day and without doubt have been sustained during this season I've been experiencing. I am so thankful that God is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore. I am the one that moves and not God.