Simply Gathering Grace -

3 STEPS TO GUARANTEE SUCCESS ON YOUR JOURNEY

March 11, 2016 By Mikki Jo 7 Comments

I drive down the road and I see remnants of past holiday seasons scattered among the homes I pass. A Christmas wreath with a faded tattered bow, a wilted snowman that has lost all his air, a valentine heart hanging on a door. Easter is soon coming regardless of what season someone still has hanging out in their yard.

Easter is coming and no matter what season our lives are in Jesus is coming too!

While reading my First5 app I was reminded of the great sacrifice Jesus made.

In the Old Testament animals were sacrificed to cover sin. Over and over and over again. It was not possible for this sacrifice to take away sin. But God had a plan, a perfect plan. Hebrews 10:4 NIV It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. God sent His only Son Jesus Christ to be the ultimate sacrifice and take away our sin. Once, for all! John 1:29 NIV The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

Today it’s a nasty rainy day, or I could say…the rain is gently falling and the cool air feels so refreshing. I’ll choose the second option. If I had to go out and hunt for a ram or goat to sacrifice for my sin today I’d grab my muckboots and rain jacket and say “It’s a nasty rainy day! I need to reach God today so I have to go slaughter “Beatrice” my goat because I need a blood sacrifice!” I’d be all grumpy and hateful having to tromp around in the rain and I’d be all broke down because I would have made friends with Beatrice coz that’s how I roll. Poor Beatrice. Ohhhh myyyy, can you imagine!? I’m so thankful for Jesus! He sacrificed Himself for me and He took away my sin. He died once, for my sin and your sin! Thank you Jesus! Thank you!

My dear friend and sister in Christ, Pam Jones, mentioned in class the other day how we are on a journey. Oh how true! During my devotional time with the Lord, I came across that word about seven times this week. Yes, we are on a journey. Where are we headed? Our ultimate goal should be to make heaven our home. What do we need to get there? We need Jesus. Who should we take with us? Everyone!

3 steps that will guarantee your success on the journey ahead of you.

CONFESS 1 John 1:9 NIV If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

COMMIT Proverbs 16:3 NIV Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.

CONTINUE Colossians 2:6 NIV So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him.

Where are you headed on your journey? I’ve had many detours in my life and I’m thankful Jesus helps me find my way back. If the journey you are on doesn’t include Jesus, step out in faith today and welcome Him along. You’ll never regret it. He loves us so much.

WHAT DOES KNITTING HAVE TO DO WITH JESUS?

February 23, 2016 By Mikki Jo 14 Comments

I am super excited about the new heel pattern I found for my hand knit socks! It’s much easier and quicker.

It involves using a shadow stitch and knitting them together as one. Without the shadow stitch being knit together with the original stitch there will be a gaping hole left in the heel. I found that out the hard way. The shadow stitch became the foundation and gave a secure join…no HOLES left behind. The shadow stitch with the original stitch makes one strong NEW stitch and one stitch without the other would not produce a sock heel. Both together, strengthened the other, and completed the original design. Genius pattern!

This scenario gave me a “Ohhhh….Hmmmm” moment. Yes, I do this on occasion. I think it’s pretty awesome how God speaks to us through the simplest of things.

The Holy Spirit dropped these scriptures into my heart.

Hebrews 10:1 (NIV) The law is only the shadow of the good things that are coming-not the realities themselves.

Colossians 2:17 (NIV) These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.

John 1:17 (NIV) For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

I think sometimes we neglect the teachings of the Old Testament and toss them out as obsolete, old fashioned, or not needed because we have the New Testament now. Oh how wrong we are.

The Old Testament is a schoolmaster. Galatians 3:24 (KJV) Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

The Old Testament is a sure foundation that the New Testament was built upon. It tells of the coming of the Messiah, and of His death on the cross. Jesus taught using scriptures from the Old Testament. One without the other is incomplete. But both of them together, the Old with the New, is the greatest love story ever told. (Ephesians 2:19-20)

Jesus came to fulfill the scriptures. He is our new covenant.

Below is a photo my brother took. His and his brides wedding rings with one placed inside the other rest in the center of the Bible. Both together make a heart-shaped shadow. Very symbolic. With the word of God being their foundation their lives are joined together and make one heart.

I have an old valentine candy box full of love letters that my Grandparents wrote each other. A shadow of the love that was yet to come. A beautiful love story of good times but hard times that would be passed to many more generations. I am thankful.

I’m reminded of my Grandma and one of our conversations. She was telling me the best way to do something and I said, “Grandma you’re just old-fashioned.” She smiled and said, “Sometimes the old ways are the best ways.” I’m sure I rolled my young eyes at the time but not where she could see me of course, but I hear the wisdom in that simple statement today.

After all, if it weren’t for the old the new would never exist.

Thank you Lord for the gift of salvation.

WHEN TWO HANDS ARE BETTER THAN ONE

January 29, 2016 By Mikki Jo 5 Comments

I glanced over at my son and my niece during Sunday morning worship and what they were doing made my heart skip a beat.

After a horrific car crash my niece escaped with her life and a broken arm, a very significant break, but it could have been so much worse. God indeed had angels encamped round about her. We are so thankful she is going to be okay.

During worship as everyone began clapping hands, my niece Hannah only had one hand with her other in a cast. I glanced over and they each held one hand out and together they clapped their hands in worship. It reminded me of the scripture in Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (NIV) Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.

Oh how many times I’ve fallen and needed help getting up. And no, I don’t wear a medic alert necklace although that may be a good idea.

My family is very close. We’ll feed each other, help wash the other’s hair as in my niece’s case right now, make each other laugh, and pray for each other. But mostly we’re just there for each other. Even if we sit and don’t speak, we’re there, present, helping each other up when we fall down.

Sometimes we give space, sometimes we invade space, according to our need at the time. Above all, we love one another. Galatians 6:2 (NIV) Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Even as much as we love someone we can still fail them at times. But God will never fail us. Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV) The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.

We have a burden bearer and His name is Jesus. When we are overwhelmed we can go to the one who is greater than our circumstances. We need only to call on Him and He will meet us right where we are. Psalm 46:1 (NIV) God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Thank you Lord for the gift of salvation, thank you for bearing our burdens!

Psalm 68:19 (NIV) Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.

HOW TO OUTWIT OUR GOOD INTENT

January 20, 2016 By Mikki Jo 8 Comments

“One last box and I’ll be done, and my New Year resolution will transform this spare room into a wonderful exercise room! I’m on my way to a healthier and skinnier me!” That’s what I’d said to myself last year. And here I stand in the middle of a once again cluttered room with boxes and bags all around me.

The treadmill was decorated with an old coat, an afghan, a pair of “too small” jeans, and a wooden back-scratcher. (I wondered where that back-scratcher had ran off to.) The weight lifting bench held a pair of boots, a wore out pair of Nikes and a pair of blinged out sandals I couldn’t live without.

Once again, the room was filled with even more clutter AND exercise equipment. And I was still unhealthy, overweight and disappointed in myself. How did I allow this to happen?

I had good intentions but I was never committed.

Good intentions.

There’s more than one sad song about people with good intentions.

Sometimes our spiritual life can get cluttered. The Holy Spirit comes and cleans us out and we fill ourselves right back up with junk. Instead of reading the word of God, we binge watch The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Instead of meeting the Lord in prayer we ease our conscience with a “now I lay me down to sleep” poem. Instead of going to church and being part of a local body of Christ, we watch TBN. And we wonder why we feel so undone and so empty inside.

How do we make a real commitment and a real change?

We need a new heart. Ezekiel 36:26 (NIV) I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

When we make no real commitment to Christ after we accept Him, we are in danger of being filled right back up with things of the world instead of a Christ-like attitude. Luke 11:24 (NIV) “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ 25 When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. 26 Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.” These are some pretty scary words Jesus spoke in this chapter about our spiritual condition.Some people feel they don’t need to commit to a local church body, but God’s word says otherwise. Just like physical exercise strengthens our physical body, spiritual exercise strenghtens our spiritual body. The body of Christ are the church members, and we need each other. We have a responsibility to each other. Hebrews 10:23 (NIV) Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Let us become committed to Jesus Christ and our local church body. We can’t allow ourselves to be cluttered up with junk after we’ve been cleaned out! Be committed! Proverbs 16:3 (NIV) Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.

MEMORIES OF AN OLD FASHIONED CHRISTMAS

December 13, 2015 By Mikki Jo 20 Comments

I’ve heard of a ghost from Christmas past but this is a post from Christmas past. Past Christmases have been on my mind more this year than any other, which led me to create an old fashioned Christmas tree. I wanted to share it with my children and grandchildren.

The magic of Christmas through a child’s eyes, in a child’s heart, on a child’s face, is peaceful and chaotic all at the same time.

I remember Grandma’s Christmas tree, an oddly shaped cedar tree with sprawling branches reaching clumsily in every direction. It would be all lit up with big gaudy bright lights, red and green and blue and yellow and orange. The tree would glisten with silver icicle tinsel and hanging from each branch was the old “Shiny Brite” glass balls.

In Grandma’s window were candles with orange bulbs. As Daddy and Mom and my brother and I would head home on Sunday evenings I would watch through the back car window until we were over the second hill, and the candle lights would finally fade away into the night. I always felt a sense of sadness when this happened and I don’t know why. Even now, it brings tears to my eyes and I still have no idea why.

Growing up, the magic of Christmas was important in my family. Mom and Dad always made it special. Traditions have been passed down from my grandparents to my parents, then to me and my children and grandchildren.

Always pass those beautiful memories and traditions down to your children. And encourage them to make their own traditions as well.

Along with the magic of Christmas my Grandma taught us about Jesus. My Grandma and Mom prayed us all right into His arms, never ceasing to pray for us. And I know a few of us gave them a run for their money.

Mom and Grandma have their own stories. Through the years they shared of the goodness of the Lord and what He done in their lives. And we remember these stories and speak of them often and we thank Him for His wonderful grace.

It’s good to remember the days of long ago and have a HALLELUJAH party! Psalm 134:3 (NIV) Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom. 4 One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.

As I remember the Christmases past, I also remember the goodness of God. Both yesterday and today. I look back and see the blessings from my childhood and how they have molded me into who I am today. And I’m thankful. I’m thankful for God fearing Parents and Grandparents. And I’m thankful for an old fashioned Christmas that reminded me of so much love. Psalm 100:5 For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.

EVEN IN TRAGEDY THERE IS COMFORT

November 30, 2015 By Mikki Jo 7 Comments

The phone rang, it was one of those calls. The one to tell you that someone you love has passed away. I was sure I heard the name wrong, this can’t be true. He was too young, it’s impossible. You ask again, saying the name out loud, to make sure you heard them correctly.

Yes.

It was him, he’s gone.

At first I sat there in shock, then I cried, then I got angry. I cried again. Then I began to pray for his family.

I never questioned God, because I know His plan is perfect. I know His ways are higher than my ways, His thoughts are greater than my thoughts. He wants even better than I do for those I love. Because you see, He loves them even more than I do. Isaiah 55:9 (NIV) As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

How do we make it through such a tragic loss?

1 By trusting in Him. Psalm 9:10 (NIV) Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

2 By holding tightly to Him. Psalm 63:8 (NIV) I cling to you; your right hand upholds me.

3 By allowing Him to comfort us. Matthew 5:4 (NIV) Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Remind ourselves of the beautiful hope for the future. Revelation 21:4 (NIV) He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.

We can’t allow ourselves to refuse the comfort of God. Let’s run to Him with our broken hearts and He will be waiting. When our pain is too much to bear He will rescue us. Psalm 34:18 (NIV) The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

HOW TO GUARD YOUR HEART AND MIND

November 24, 2015 By Mikki Jo 7 Comments

The kitchen had five women busily moving about preparing Thanksgiving dinner. Each one creating and tasting and measuring and pouring. Working together like a well oiled machine…

…until…

…chaos ensued.

Mom asked, “Did anyone salt the mashed potatoes?”

“Yeah, I did.”

“Uhm, yeah I did.”

“Hm, so did I.”

“Ugh, me too.”

“And so did I,” said Mom.

They were the saltiest mashed potatoes I’ve ever tasted.

“The rolls!” Mom yelled. She opens the oven door and smoke began pouring out. The scent of well scorched rolls filled the room, the kitchen door was opened up. The crisp November air was welcomed in as the thick smoke was rolling out.

When what to my wondering eyes did appear, a HUGE dog leaped in with a bound. Sniffing and licking and wagging and drooling, all over the kitchen. More yelling from all five women, “A DOG!” “Whose dog is that?!” “Get that dog out!” “Where’d that dog come from!” “Oh my!”

Thanksgiving day lesson: KEEP A GUARD AT YOUR KITCHEN DOOR! And, don’t salt the mashed potatoes five times.

During the month of November we’ve talked about lies, fear, and negative thoughts. These are all strongholds that satan uses to defeat us. He is out to steal, kill, and destroy. John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

KEEP A GUARD AT YOUR HEART’S DOOR

We need to safeguard against spiritual strongholds by being aware of what we think, what we hear, what we see, and what we speak. Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

Let the peace of God guard our hearts and minds. Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Today let’s commit to accepting God’s word, believing God’s word, confessing God’s word, and living God’s word.

TRADE NEGATIVE THOUGHTS FOR THE ASSURANCE OF GOD

November 19, 2015 By Mikki Jo 10 Comments

The glass is always half empty. She always sees the difficulty instead of the opportunity. She always fears the storm instead of looking for the rainbow.

Yeah that’s me. How do you see your glass?

Only days ago, I explained how this is natural. It’s human nature. It’s survival. It’s how we protect our hearts and minds from pain and disappointment. Pessimism is okay, as long as you use it to protect yourself and those you love.

What a lie I’ve been telling myself all these years! I’m thankful to have found this out. While listening to a message from my Pastor this past weekend, I realized negative thoughts can lead to a “critical” spirit. All these years I have been discouraging myself, not protecting myself. I had thrown a wet blanket on the fire of the Holy Spirit, and stifled my HOPE in God. A pessimistic spirit had somehow set up residence in my life and kept me discouraged and expecting the worst in every situation.

There is no way we can have hope if we continually speak discouragement or see the glass half empty or fail to consider God’s purpose in the midst of difficulty. With no hope is distrust. Let me tell you, we need not think we will journey any distance with the Lord if we don’t trust Him.

So, after walking in a circle of my own creation I am soooo excited to step out and shed this cloak of discouragement, this spirit of pessimism. A stronghold that has remained safely hidden for many years calling itself protection.

Not only do we shut out the hope of God when we respond to circumstances with discouragement instead of encouragement, but we teach it to our children without even realizing it. Teaching them to always expect the worst instead of the best. “Don’t get your hopes up, in case things don’t work out. That way it won’t hurt as bad.” I’m just shaking my head at myself right now. Proverbs 13:12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

Pessimism is born out of fear, fear of the unknown. This is not what God wants for us. He desires to deliver us from fear. Psalm 34:4 I sought the Lord and he answered me, He delivered me from all my fears.

In our life bad things will happen. Don’t be afraid to expect good things. Don’t be afraid to hope for good things. Trust in God to calm the storms of life. Psalm 107:28 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distress. 29 He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.

There’s hope in every situation with the Lord. Always, hope. Psalm 130:7 Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with Him is full redemption.

Psalm 42:5 Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.

The hope we have in Jesus swallows up discouragement.

HOPE

A LOVE SONG

November 10, 2015 By Mikki Jo 9 Comments

I’ve heard my loved ones speak of how they are homesick for heaven. When I was younger I never understood that, I thought they had simply lost their minds. But as pieces of my heart have gone home over the years, I look forward more and more to meet them in heaven. I understand, yes, now I understand.

Holding close to my heart

the warmth of by gone days

Only letting go awhile

to glimpse Heaven’s Gates.

Taking in the fragrant breeze

that dances with the oak

Sun upon my face so warm

I wander down the road.

Home is where my heart is

I long no more to roam

Only life’s breath holds me

‘Til God shall call me home.

Songbirds sing to me

a love song sweet

Telling me to rise

“Rise, to your feet!”.

“Eternity awaits you friend”

the melody sang loud

“Come home my child,

I’m waiting for you now.”

“But I Will Trust in You…” King David and the Art of Bouncing Back

November 10, 2015 By Mikki Jo 12 Comments

I’m so happy to have Cate Russel-Cole share with us about King David. I was blessed to meet her in a Writers Forum Group and I love her style of teaching. I’m so excited to have her as my very first guest post! Thanks Cate and welcome to Simply Gathering Grace!

“From Despair to Deliverance: the King David Project,” is a non-profit ministry, that seeks to make the life of King David easy to understand and relevant, so that believers gain inspiration and comfort from the life of King David. The project is jointly run by Cate Russell-Cole and Catrine O’Conroi, Christian writers from Brisbane, Australia. Cate lives with her husband and two cats and habitually writes everything in Australian English.

“…I praise the LORD for what He has promised.
I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?
What can mere mortals do to me?
I will fulfil my vows to You, O God,
and will offer a sacrifice of thanks for Your help.
For You have rescued me from death;
You have kept my feet from slipping.
So now I can walk in Your presence, O God,
in Your life-giving light.” Psalm 56:10-13

When I was first getting to know David’s full life story, I heard a Rabbi say that David had endured a very hard life. I have to agree. He left a life of obscurity to follow a promise from the Lord, but along the way suffered demotions, multiple assassination attempts, long-term separation from his first wife, many years in hiding fearing for his life, wars, the death of at least four of his sons, long-term serious health problems, three uprisings against his kingship, multiple persecutions because of his faith… plus all the usual popularity and approval issues, which go with being the leader of a nation.

Aside from those problems, he dealt with some of the most toxic forms of stress which are commonly considered to be killers. His sources of stress were: constant, unpredictable and uncontrollable. That he died in old age, having cleared the nation of it’s enemies and having achieved so much for the Lord, is nothing short of a providential miracle.Or could there be more to it than that? When the Psalms are being dissected and preached about, there is nearly always an admiring acknowledgement of David’s ability to bounce back up while appearing to be sinking.

Here is another example.Psalm 13
“For the choir director: A psalm of David.
O LORD, how long will you forget me? Forever?
How long will you look the other way?
How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul,
with sorrow in my heart every day?
How long will my enemy have the upper hand?
Turn and answer me, O LORD my God!
Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die.
Don’t let my enemies gloat, saying, “We have defeated him!”
Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall.
But I trust in your unfailing love.
I will rejoice because you have rescued me.
I will sing to the LORD
because he is good to me.”

David often pushes himself from despair to hope, in a manner which has been said to appear bipolar. He isn’t bipolar in any respect. David knew how to pump up his morale and change a negative picture to a potentially positive one, by seeing the potential for the Lord to work for his good and by consciously determining to aim for a positive outcome.

In some Psalms this took some time. For example, in Psalms 38 and 39 he appears disconsolate, however, in Psalm 40 that bounce appears. It’s a human, not an automatic, process.David did this by reflecting on his past victories and by trusting the Lord, through prayer and praise. This determined action gave his circumstances new meaning. David also constantly turned to the Lord for direction, comfort and grounding and despite persecution from his own people over his unrelenting faith in God, he publicly praised the Lord and pointed the hearts of the people towards Him. David is inspirational.As psychology has grown, researchers have spent more and more time looking at the positive aspects of human behaviour, rather than staying focussed on what can go wrong. Their findings help explain why David was able to keep his head above water, despite the forces that worked against him. In 2006 Richard G. Tedeschi and Lawrence G. Calhoun studied post traumatic growth, which is exactly what David experienced many times. This growth results in a positive attribute termed resilience.

Resilience is is when you fall down, but get up, and are able to do that repeatedly, becoming stronger each time you arise. It means expecting positive outcomes, despite the risks and stresses that come your way. It involves an ability to adapt when you just have to make the best of a tough situation and clinging onto your purpose in life.

Tedeschi and Calhoun’s work beautifully describes how resilience is enabled. While at first people may show high stress signs and be depressed or overwhelmed by what they have been through, in time they can grow to come through with:

– “Increased perception of competence and self-reliance.
– Enhanced acceptance of one’s vulnerability and negative emotional experiences.
– Improved relationships with significant others.
– Increased compassion and empathy for others.
– Greater efforts directed at improving relationships.
– Increased appreciation of own existence.
– Greater appreciation for life.
– Positive changes in one’s priorities.
– Stronger religious/spiritual beliefs.
– Greater personal intimacy with God.
– Greater sense of control and security through belief in God.
– Greater meaning about life and suffering through religion.”

If David was writing this, I am sure that he would emphasise the last four points, as he repeatedly did in the Psalms. It was faith that gave him the greatest lift; however, his own personality traits of perseverance, willingness to take action, empathy, teachability and bravery, also had an important impact on his resilience. The Lord moulds us like a potter moulds clay, but the process works better if the quality of the clay is good.

To be resilient, David also needed supportive people around him such as Samuel, Nathan, Hushai the Archite and Jonathan; and resilient role models. His mother is mentioned as a role model in Psalms 116:16: “Truly I am your servant, Lord; I serve you just as my mother did; you have freed me from my chains;” and 86:16.

How David dealt with his mistakes was also a major factor in determining his success. A positive attitude to mistakes has been found to enable people to make better choices in the future, which in turn increases their overall happiness and ability to function in life. Belting yourself up with guilt only sends you backwards. David responded to corrections by Abigail and Nathan and was always able to get back up on his feet, no matter what hardship or grief hit him. [Refs. 1 Samuel 25 and 2 Samuel 12]

If you feel you are low on resilience, take heart. According to the research, resilience can be taught and role modelled. Studying David’s life has certainly helped boost my resilience. I am inspired by his courage, gently rebuked by his righteous responses to stressful situations and comforted by his trust in the Lord. He is a blessing that has never stopped giving.

Visit Cate Russell-Cole at her website https://masadarain.wordpress.com/ and check out her King David Project and be sure to visit her Facebook page!