The beginning of a walk

I thought today I would sit and write the story of a little girl who lived years ago in a far away land named Carol. She lived on Toney Drive in Decatur Georgia with her mom, dad, big brother and dog Inky. She loved to ride her bike, play the piano and pretend church. One night her mom and dad took the family along with another family squeezed into a station wagon to a revival. Yes, a revival under a tent. People would come to an open air church meeting with a pine bark floor. They sat in folding chairs or stood around the opening. Someone played the piano. The preacher spoke loudly and passionately about the Lord! The preacher pulled out his handkerchief and blew his nose. At the end of the service they had a altar call. That is where people walked down an aisle to the front. The little girl sat and watched a lot of people walking and crying. She didn’t say much going home but when she got home she called her mom to her purple bedroom room to talk. There on her bed she asked her mom questions about God and a short time later prayed to ask Jesus to come into her heart. She called her grandparents, Mee-Maw and Dad to tell them of her decision. They all rejoiced.
The little girl began her walk with the Father at 9 years of age and now she is 54. May those of you who read these words be encouraged to know God reached down to this little girl and He is still reaching for those that don’t know Him. Even though the preacher spoke maybe a little loud and blew his nose and waved his handkerchief in the air God used him to bring another one into His kingdom. God uses us all in our imperfections to bring Him glory. Walk with the Father today and wave you handkerchief. You never know when some one will be watching, and watch your words, someone is listening.

When you feel like you can't walk any more

There have been times in my life when walking has been hard. Times when I just wanted to stay in bed with the covers over my head and not face the day problems . We all have been there and will experience days and moments when the walk is plain just too hard. I had a friend years ago in a small group that told me some good advice. She had lost a child to cancer and had fought hard to help her live. After she passed away she did not want to walk. For a time she lost her way and her ability to walk. She said she had learned if she just put her foot on the ground and took one step forward and tried to make it to the bathroom and then the next step after that she could make it through the day. Another woman who mentored me for a short time told me after my daughters went away to college and I was so sad to allow myself a short time when I gave in to tears or not walking and then after a short time to pray and get on with God’s plan for the day. Both ladies walked on the journey with me for a short time and I still remember them and their words. I today have spoken that advice to my heart. Keep walking Carol! If you need some encouragement today or perhaps down the road it comes to you that you want to give up and not walk anymore, try some advice for some ladies who have experienced that thought and feeling and keep walking. Take that first step.
I am so glad God sees our ways and our steps and directs them.
Praise His Name as He is the One who Keeps us Walking when we Want to Stop and Give Up!

A Daily Choice

It is morning and I am going through my normal routine of trying to focus again on another day.  I stood looking in my mirror rubbing on my anti-aging cream and again thinking to myself this is not as fun as it use to be when I looked into the mirror and didn’t see the wrinkles.  I have my IPOD playing music in the background of my Christian songs and of course my  favorites.  Again I face the decision whether to walk and turn my thoughts away from aging, sorrows and not feeling 20 anymore to God. I try to listen to the words of the song playing and sometimes sit down in a chair for one song.  Again another day to choose to walk with Him.
One thing I do to help in this turning my mind is to leave my Bible and study books right where I can’t miss them.  It invites me every time I pass to sit and think and look at the source and solution to my distractions and my heart. I also regularly pray during this time to keep me hungry for Him.  I am afraid my hunger so often is for life to be easy, happy and less stressful and yet I know God’s desire is that I bear much fruit and glorify Him.  That does not happen unless I make that choice daily to be and walk with Him.
Might I encourage you today to make that choice to spend time walking with the only one who can and does direct our minds upward when many things try to keep us focus on our immediate surroundings. Read the Word!
Stand Firm!
Press On!
Look Up!
Keep Walking with the Father!

Still Walking With the Father

Well it has been awhile since I have written my thoughts for all to read or for those of you who have time or willingness to read my ramblings.  Words are hard to use in describing these last months so I think I will express them this way--

Phone call, Mom's heart attack
Mom's bypass surgery
My grandson being admitted to hospital for swallowed coin
Daddy's inability to handle situation with mom
Putting my Daddy in a dementia unit 
Bringing mom home
Admitting her to a recovery facility
Mom becoming very sick and taken back to hospital for another stay
Bringing her home
Going to see my dad at the dementia unit
Bringing him home

I could write more but you get the point.  You might say things have been sorrowful and hard.
Yes, I have continued to walk with my Father and I use that in the most endearing way I can as the MY has taken on a deeper meaning.

As I stood waiting for my daughter Christy to get to the hospital I was leaning on a concrete column in the valet parking area.  I physically felt a deep sense of God's presence and peace wash all over me from my head to my toes. To say I didn't still have moments of fear of whether either of my parents would ever be healthy again or even come home was a big concern and fear of mine.

Do you need encouragement to keep walking today then take a verse from scripture God gave me in Romans  8:15 that says, For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.  And by him we cry, Abba Father.  We have a Father we can cry to.  I have done that repeatedly.  God bless you and if you need today to cry Abba Father do and see what assurance He brings you of His presence.
Let's walk together with the Father through these hard days!