When danger Surrounds Us: God Protects Us

Ever get the feeling like you are in great danger (that evil is present) and something awful could happen any minute? Sometimes, it happens so fast that you don't have time to even pray, "Lord protect me." That panicky feeling takes over and you do whatever it takes to protect you and/or your loved ones and get away from the situation as quickly as possible.

Then later, when the danger is past, you look back with awe and gratitude, knowing that God was really protecting you from harm.

I've experienced a few of those kinds of situations recently and they remind me over and over how God does care for us. I'm not saying that we are always protected from painful situations or the evil decisions of people who don't have Christ in their hearts. Sometimes things do happen, even to the children of God, because of the sin of the world. I'm not sure how God decides when to intervene in these situations and when not to. That's where trusting His wisdom must prevail.

The two stories I am sharing here, though, cannot be anything short of God's protection! Bad results should have and could have happened, especially with the first situation.

• Over Christmas vacation, we were down on the beaches of South Carolina. The weather wasn't hot, but much warmer than our snow-covered Indiana! Because of this, there weren't a lot of tourists walking along the shore, especially once the sun started to set. We felt pretty safe, since we were staying at a big oceanfront hotel and there were lots of employees and several guests staying there. It was the night before Christmas. We had spent the day on the beach, but our son wanted to go out after dark, just to see what we could find in animal life. *A few years back when visiting, we found white ghost crabs running into their little holes in the sand. So, off we went. It must have been around 10 p.m. Now, I must have felt some precaution was needed because on the way out of the hotel I asked if we should take some pepper spray/mace with us, as we usually had some with us in the car. But it just happened that we left it at home this particular time. We did have a flashlight, though. So, we decided we would just go a little ways down the beach and come back and we would be fine.
                
  Well, several yards down, we saw a few people, we thought either older teens or young men, standing on the beach, smoking some cigarettes. It was so dark out that, if it hadn't been for the glow of the cigarettes, we wouldn't have seem them at all. We walked by them without a word, my son, briefly shining the flashlight their direction. The tide was going out, so there was a small pool of water collecting between the shoreline and near the inner beach, where houses were. After walking about 5 minutes we decided to head back to the hotel, and were jumping across this pool, one at a time. My hubby was the last to cross and just as he did, out of the vast darkness, my son and I saw a figure coming up behind him, moving in quickly. The 'guy' was definitely following us, crossing right where we had crossed. My son whispered, 'Dad, there's a guy following behind you!'  Once my hubby turned and saw him, his protective instinct kicked in, which probably was one thing that saved our lives. This guy, whom my hubby suspected was one of the guys we passed smoking, was obviously up to no good, and had followed us all the way down the beach. Instead of running, which probably would have put us in more danger, hubby walked right up to the guy, which I think threw him off, as he acted all flustered and nervous. He had his hand in his jacket, which looked like he might pull something out of it, but then stuck out his hand to shake hands with my hubby, and started saying that he just wanted to "wish us a Merry Christmas and everything was going to be o.k."  In our best fearless voices we all said "thanks and wished him a Merry Christmas, too." He turned and walked back along the water's edge and we walked towards the houses, first slowly, then VERY quickly. 
  
  Later, back at the hotel, hubby said he had a gut feeling the 'stalker' was planning on robbing us. We weren't positive, but were thinking he was either drunk or high. The beach was so dark and the roar of the tide loud enough, that even if we had screamed for help, nobody probably would have heard us. My brave hubby said he was ready to take the guy down, if he pulled anything out of his jacket, but gladly that didn't happen. As I contemplated all that had just occurred, and our stupidity in going out on a dark beach in the first place, I knew that God had protected us from danger. Obviously, we don't know what the guy was planning on doing, but all-in-all, it was just an odd occurrence. Over and over again, I gave thanks to God for His protection, as did my son and hubby. It could have ended very differently!

• The second situation happened early just this morning. (This situation was very similar to one we experienced several years ago around Christmastime at our old farmhouse.)         

Are you Living an Ordinary or Extraordinary Life?

Source: quotebites.com via Ann on Pinterest

"We are all enamored by those who accomplish extraordinary feats… Superman, Spiderman, Wonder Woman and Batman and the ticket stubs prove it. Of the 25 top grossing films of all time, 17 fall into this category.
We must ask why? Because we were meant for more, and we know it."

 "Does your faith reflect the same audacity and power found in these stories? God loves to do the impossible, and He wants to use ordinary people willing to focus their prayers and attention on Him and His promises, not their circumstances. Don't settle for ordinary. Give up on complacency. Begin living the life of audacious faith God has created and saved you for. When you do, dreams are realized. Lives are transformed. The world is changed. And the impossible happens."

"All of us were meant for more, extraordinarily created and intended for a life that is anything but ordinary. Here is a book that that I found online, called "Extraordinary".  I haven't read it(yet), but this book looks like it is worth reading.

Source: Messenger International

This song touched my heart, too, So many people are settling for an "ordinary" life. But we know deep down, we do want more. We were made for more, through Christ!!!

As you begin another week, consider if you are living each day, each activity in your life, as a possible way to show God to others, either through words or actions. Are you ready to live every day like it is not just ordinary? We were made for the extraordinary!!!

As I write down the many blessings (Joy Dare) that God has shown me, may you be encouraged to do the same in your  own life!!!!

3 gifts that were “Plan B’s”

480.  Going to the library, instead of the coffee shop for wifi.
481. Reading a new book, instead of writing today.
482. Instead of chicken, we had shrimp with our stir-fry for dinner.

A gift at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
483. Honey Nut Cheerios :)
484. Strawberry banana yogurt- double :)
485. Family together

3 gifts white
486. Freshly cleaned sheets
487. Easter Lily
488. Freshly fallen snow

 3 gifts that changed today
489. The weather-from overcast and windy to pure sun!
490. Our driveway - an in ground basketball pole and hoop that fell down!(It was old and rusty)
491. My blog header - changed from winter to spring look.

A gift of tin, of glass, of wood.
492. Tin: An old cross

493. Glass: Statue of Jesus, taken up to heaven

494. Wood: My Easter Egg Tree

3 gifts before 11 a.m.

495. A text message from a friend
496. Waking up to the smell of fresh brewed coffee
497. Time in prayer and reading of the Word.

3 gifts seen as reflections

498. Reflecting on how the celebration of Christ's birth at Christmas leads us now through His life, and to the upcoming time of His death and resurrection(Easter).

499. My garden pond...reflecting on what is looked like last year...looking forward to spring and seeing it again reflecting it's beauty.

500. On a cold winter afternoon, seeing the sun's reflection on my camera, as my hubby and I take a walk.

I'm halfway to 1,000 gifts!!!!! :)

Linking up at these blog hops:

Freshly Brewed Sunday(My Freshly Brewed Life)

Multitude on Monday(A Holy Experience)

Sharing His Beauty(Beauty in HIs Grip)

Hear it on Sunday/Use it on Monday(Graceful)

Bless a Blogger(Bible Love Notes)

Tis Better...

'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

                                                                 Alfred Lord Tennyson, In Memoriam

Is this quote true, or not?

My son is at that age where over the past 3-4 years he’s been learning through different dating experiences, about relationships. In several of these relationships, he would get hurt emotionally, when either the girl treated him disrespectfully or would see other guys behind his back. Every time they broke up he would say, “I’m never dating again.” His heart had been so broken and abused, that he just wanted to give up on really falling in love. It just hurt too much to make himself vulnerable to someone, who would in return then stomp on his heart.

My husband liked to tell my son after every break-up that until he met the right one, there would be lots of pain and disappointments. But, if he never opened up his heart again and was willing to show his vulnerability, he would never find love, which is so worth the struggle and heartache it takes, once it is found. Recently, my son started dating again.  It’s still a little early in the game to be sure, but this time, I think he may have found a keeper. Thank goodness, his heart has learned to heal and not let past experiences affect his current decision to give it another try.

So in my opinion, I think the answer to my question depends on who you ask and when in one’s life you ask it. We all hate being hurt, humiliated, broken down, and abused. It sucks!! Most everyone experiences being in a situation sometime in their life when someone has hurt them immensely, whether it be in a love relationship, a friendship, or with a family member.  Our vulnerability is exposed and we lay our hearts on the line. It can be scary, threatening, and often risky. After a few bad experiences, we may find ourselves being a little more cautious about opening up too quickly. Unfortunately, some people never open up their heart to another again. How sad. It can be very lonely when a person reaches this place in life. 

Source: justacloserwalk.com via Ann on Pinterest

Not only do bad experiences affect us in our future relationships with other people. Our relationship with God is deeply influenced by our past. Children who grow up with an abusive or unloving father find a relationship with their heavenly Father to be difficult and scary. Learning to trust and be vulnerable to God’s ways is a challenge because this was not learned in the home.  Relationships that involved full trust and exposure of the heart, only to be used and abused by the one that was trusted causes one to not trust God’s love and goodness, either. But the one thing we can be sure of is that God is not like other people. He is trustworthy and He will not turn against us, when we open our hearts up to Him. Sure, there’s always going to be people who hurt us in life. But, praise our Lord and Savior, we have Him, who can teach us to be open again, become vulnerable, and experience God’s true love through others. And for those who have, I'm sure they would say it was worth it!

Proverbs 3:5,6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.
 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
 It will be healing to your body
And refreshment to your bones.

Linking on over to these blogs:
Winsome Wednesdays (My Daily Walk in His Grace)
Faith Barista (JamWithMe Thursdays)
 Grace Cafe' (Reflections of His Grace)
 Heartprint Halellujah (Heatprints of God)
Bless a Blogger (Bible Love Notes)

Relationships Take Work Series! (Deny Thyself)

I started writing on relationships back in January (go here to read my other posts).  Every once in a while, I get an inspiration to write about something specific. Today I was reading chapter 6 of a blogger book read (Made to Crave) and thought the subject covered in this chapter also spoke to me about our relationships with our spouses. So I felt compelled to share this glint of wisdom.

❤ Self Control ❤

The book we are reading is about learning to crave a relationship with God, and in return, learn to crave less of the things of this world. It is a book about eating healthy and losing weight, but it is about so much more. In chapter 6, titled "Growing Closer to God," the author talks about acquiring self-control over those things that are "permissible, but not beneficial". This is definitely a difficult task, in reality an impossible task, if we try to do it on our own.

"Self-control is hard. We don't like to deny ourselves. 

We don't think it's necessary. We make excuses and declare,

"That's nice for you, but I could never give that up."(pg. 61)

“Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.” Proverbs 25:28 (NIV)

❤ Denying self ❤

Marriage requires us to sacrifice our wants and desires for the benefit of our spouse. The same is true for losing weight! The only way to lose our selfish wants is to start with a relationship with God. It requires a daily effort to let the Holy Spirit direct us to make wise choices - whether it be our eating habits, our lifestyle choices, or our relationships with our spouse. This means "intentionally positioning our lives to experience God". He's not going to knock our doors down and force Himself upon us. We need to make the effort to put Him first each and every day! (Just like getting up to go to work, making time to make a healthy meal, or paying our bills.) There will surely be benefits to putting Him first, just like there are consequences to letting our own desires and cravings take precedence.

Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it."

Luke 9:23-24 (NIV) 

O.k,, now that I have talked about it and the verses have been written out, I can in all honesty say, I'm weak. I haven't overcome these issues. There are days I fail miserably at them!! This past week wasn't easy! With Valentines Day coming up, it will be even tougher next week to have self-control and deny myself!  But praise be to God, I can go to Him for the strength to keep going....with His help!!

As you go through the week, remember to look at these verses and meditate on what the Lord wants for us to do, through Him!

 linking on over to these blog hops:

 Winsome Wednesday(My Daily Walk in His Grace)

Grace Cafe' (Reflections of His Grace)

 Made to Crave (Journey of Love)

Walk With Him Wednesdays (A Holy Experience)

Bless a Blogger Friday(Bible Love Notes)

also posting on my own: Page "Relationships Take Work" Series