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Space Invasion – Phyllis Freeman
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How close is too close?

How close is too close?

“…who is he who will devote himself to be close to me?” declares the Lord. Jeremiah 30:21

Little green men don’t intrigue me. News of an unidentified flying object doesn’t worry me. It only reminds me of the fantasy show, Star Trek. I guess I never really believed in someone coming to invade earth from outer space. Sorry, Trekkie fans!

One day I drove into town on my lunch hour. When I entered the post office, I knew I would not just run in and out quickly; there were four people ahead of me. So I waited. I sighed. I rocked on my heels and hummed a tune. It did no good. I still had to wait.

Then, I sensed someone getting in line behind me. Sometimes I turn and nod at the next one, but I didn’t. I had my mind on whether or not I had time to fill my car with gas.

The man who got in line edged a little closer, and closer. Sir, you won’t get stamps any faster by crowding me, I thought. I ignored him and inched closer to the person ahead of me. I was feeling uncomfortable as the man took another half-step forward.

A voice said, “Am I invading your personal space, Phyllis?”

Startled, I turned to see Jerry, a co-worker. He smiled and said, “I was just testing you. Most people react if their space is invaded.”

I realize I do have a two-to-three-foot invisible space around me that is a no standing zone. I would rather someone talk to me from that distance. Otherwise, I feel they are infringing on my personal space. Now my husband, children, or grandchildren can come closer. It has to do with relationship.

We’ll never have a problem if we do space invasion to move close to God. He would say, “Come closer.” He doesn’t mind. When we get closer, we feel His warm and loving embrace. Then we’re close enough to hear his voice and feel His comfort.

Wouldn’t you like to do your own space invasion by snuggling up close to Him? Lay your head in His lap and talk to Him. If we move near to Him, He will move closer to us.

It’s all about relationship.

Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net.

A freelance writer, Phyllis Qualls Freeman has more than four hundred published devotionals and human interest stories, including; Secret Place, Upper Room, Knoxville News-Sentinel and writes for three publishing houses on assignment. Phyllis is the prayer leader for Christian Devotions. She teaches classes on emotional healing and speaks at ladies’ meetings and conferences on these issues. Pqfreeman40@yahoo.com.

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Return the Giving – Phyllis Freeman
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Simple love

Give, and it will be given to you. Luke 6:38
​
Mother passed by our church every Sunday morning.

Her old car was loaded with her five children, but she wanted to transport her sister’s two young daughters to church too. She did this weekly for ten years before the girls’ parents began to attend.

On holidays, we four sisters and our brother squeezed closer together to allow room for our aunt and uncle’s family at our heavily-laden table. Golden browned turkey, sweet potato casserole, and home-canned green beans from dad’s garden were heaped on each plate.

​When my mother developed Alzheimer’s, we kept an exhausting schedule to stay with her and care for her. We asked our Aunt Anita if she would care for Mom in her Alabama home for a few weeks so we could have respite. While Mom stayed with her sister, my aunt’s friends saw how difficult it was for Anita to see her beloved sister forget which door led to her bedroom. Anita would say, “Eva, remember the pink rug is by your door.”

“How can you keep Eva and see her in this condition?” a friend asked Anita.

“For twenty-five years, I knew we had an open invitation to eat with Eva’s family. She took our girls to church for ten years. This is the least I can do for her.”

Anita and Burlon served our mother fresh red strawberries from the strawberry patch in their backyard, and fixed her favorite baked sweet potatoes with melted butter on top. They counted each day they kept her as a day of gratefulness for all she had done for them.

Our mother gave freely to her sister’s family when they were young. Now that Mother was in need, they wanted to return those blessings. They gently cared for her with respect and love.

God sometimes places people with needs directly across our path. We can consider their issues as obstacles to our progress, or we can take that opportunity to bless them in whatever way we can.

Always remember how God allowed others to give to you. Reach out and return the giving or reach ahead and begin the blessing in those around you.

Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net and Ambro.

A freelance writer, Phyllis Qualls Freeman has more than four hundred published devotionals and human interest stories, including; Secret Place, Upper Room, Knoxville News-Sentinel and writes for three publishing houses on assignment. Phyllis is the prayer leader for Christian Devotions. She teaches classes on emotional healing and speaks at ladies’ meetings and conferences on these issues. Pqfreeman40@yahoo.com.

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Poco’s Jealous – Phyllis Freeman
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Poco's waiting

Poco’s waiting

For the LORD your God, who is among you, is a jealous God… Deuteronomy 6:15 NIV

“Poco,” I said to my little Chihuahua, “please, I’m working on the computer now. Just get in my lap.”

Paw…paw…nudge…nudge. Her two front feet scraped across my left leg. She stared at my computer, which was resting on my right leg and the sofa arm.

“She’s jealous of my computer,” I told my husband. If the computer is a little too much on my lap, she does the staring game until I move it — staring at the computer and then at me. She does not like my computer because it takes my attention away from her. She cannot stretch her seven-pound frame comfortably on my lap.

Poco (Spanish for little or not much) brings her small fleece disk and drops it in my lap every evening. She stares at me until she gets my full attention. She gives me great pleasure, yet she can only do that when I focus on her.

As I toss the disk down the hall for her to fetch, again, and again, and again, I wonder if, at times, God is also staring at me to get my attention. While I go about my daily chores, is He staring and wondering if I’ll take time out to gaze at Him and allow Him to interact with me? Is He jealous because sometimes I only give Him a glance and then continue my activities?

God wants us to focus on Him. His heart is to commune with us.

What has your attention? Do you focus on your family’s financial shortfall? Do your eyes stare at the screen of a TV or computer much too long? Have you thought: I’ll finish this and then I’ll read God’s word? Maybe you know God has dropped a bundle in your lap and that bundle (person or circumstance) needs prayer – you’ve thought of that person three times today. It’s time to give Him your full attention. That’s what He desires.

A freelance writer, Phyllis Qualls Freeman has more than four hundred published devotionals and human interest stories, including; Secret Place, Upper Room, Knoxville News-Sentinel and writes for three publishing houses on assignment. She teaches classes on emotional healing and speaks at ladies’ meetings and conferences on these issues. Phyllis leads the prayer warriors for Christian Devotions. Pqfreeman40@yahoo.com

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A Green Thumb? – Phyllis Freeman
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Planting Seeds

I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 1 Cor. 3:6 KJV

I have a brown thumb for growing things. Can’t do it. My sister, Dot, and our brother, Thomas, inherited the green thumb from our dad. He loved gardening and eating fresh vegetables. My favorite memories from our family garden were the juicy red tomatoes and the steaming yellow corn on the cob, dripping with melted butter.

“Never underestimate the power of a seed.” When we share God’s word with our family or others, we never know if our prayers and efforts will germinate and produce a giant spiritual redwood tree or a little neighborhood bush.

Those who taught Dot in Sunday school knew they were planting God’s word into her heart, but they couldn’t know that Dot would eventually spend years teaching in a Christian college and spiritually mentoring students from around the world. They didn’t know she would then spend twenty-five years as a missionary evangelist in and out of foreign countries. She and her co-worker, Dr. Faye Whitten, spent three years teaching and mentoring students in Ghana, West Africa. They got to see a harvest for the kingdom through their student ministry in several African countries.

Even though I cannot grow flowers or a garden (I even starved a cactus to death), I understand the concept of planting seeds and nurturing souls for the kingdom of God. Sunday school teachers understand. They plant seeds of truth into the hearts of children, youth, or adults.

I’ve planted seeds of truth, and I’ve watered seeds others have planted. When we’ve done our best to model God’s love to others and nurture them however we can, God can bring them into relationship with Him.The Holy Spirit can cause God’s word to penetrate a heart’s fallow ground and bring growth.

Whether or not you have a spiritual green thumb, keep on planting and keep on watering.

Photo courtesy microsoft.com free image gallery

A freelance writer, Phyllis Qualls Freeman has more than four hundred published devotionals and human interest stories, including; Secret Place, Upper Room, Knoxville News-Sentinel and writes for three publishing houses on assignment. She teaches classes on emotional healing and speaks at ladies’ meetings and conferences on these issues. Phyllis leads the prayer warriors for Christian Devotions. Pqfreeman40@yahoo.com

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Proportionate Giving – Phyllis Freeman
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Leave a tip

Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the Lord your God has blessed you. Deuteronomy 16:17

A lady who was about to pay the bill for her dinner stated, “It grates on me to pay a waitress a fifteen percent tip when I give God just ten percent.” I thought about saying that we give God ten percent of our total wage and a waitress only a percentage of the cost of a meal. The two aren’t really equal.

In addition to the customary ten percent, or our tithe, we are encouraged to give additional offerings to the church, so many of us do give at least fifteen per cent.

Just before Moses died, he rehearsed the last forty years and admonished Israel to follow God faithfully. In verse ten, he tells them to bring a gift and rejoice at the “place he (God) will choose as a dwelling for his Name”—I believe we’d call that church.

How do we know what is appropriate to give in church? Do we try to figure out what the church deserves or give what we feel we can afford each week or do we give because we’ve received? Giving is a private matter between us and our Lord. It’s important to seriously consider our motive for giving.

What if we gave offerings in proportion to our blessings as Moses challenged Israel to do? Would I then give an offering each time God blessed me with a child? Would I bring a special gift to the house of God because God gave my husband a good job to pay our bills? How could I ever give enough in offerings to balance the scale of what God gave me? Of course, that isn’t what we try to do. He offers me salvation and much more. We could never give as much as we’ve been given.

Giving is a heart matter. We can’t decipher matters of the heart with a monetary value. Giving with a free heart is a progressive grace. At first we give because we are instructed to do so. Eventually, we grow in our spiritual life and learn to reciprocate or give in return for all we’ve been given.

It isn’t a matter of obligation or responding to a persuasive person’s call to give. It is a matter of loving God. Love gives. Love shares. Love obeys.

If you gave in proportion to your blessings, how much would that be?

Photo courtesy of microsoft.com free image gallery

A freelance writer, Phyllis Qualls Freeman has more than four-hundred published devotionals and human interest stories, including; Secret Place, Upper Room, Knowville News-Sentinel and writes for three publishing houses on assignment. She teaches classes on emotional healing and speaks at ladies’ meetings and conferences on these issues. Pqfreeman40@yahoo.com.

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No More Manna, Lord? – Phyllis Freeman
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Manna from heaven

The manna stopped the day after they ate this food from the land… that year they ate of the produce of Canaan. Joshua 5:12

Potato soup or grilled cheese sandwiches and iced tea were standard fare for my meal each evening as I cared for our two toddlers. My husband Bill worked the afternoon shift at the gas station. Our grocery money had to stretch from Thursday to Thursday. I would use a tea bag to brew hot tea for my husband’s thermos and then make my iced tea from the same tea bag. How we made it through the tough years could only have been by God’s provision. Bill worked hard, we managed what we had, and God took up the slack. As we raised our babies and added a third child later on, we knew God would give us wisdom to provide.

God chose an unusual way to furnish food for the children of Israel on their journey to Canaan. He said He would “rain down” bread from heaven. God told Moses that He would test the people to see if they would obey what He said. He had a plan for them in receiving His provision. The quail came to them in the evenings. They didn’t even have to shoot the quail; they just picked them up and cooked them. So they ate meat in the evening and bread in the morning as God’s provision while they journeyed.

The Israelites ate those honey-flavored wafers daily for forty years. As soon as they could harvest a crop in their new homeland of Canaan, God stopped the divine supply of nourishment.

It seems there was a test of obedience and also a critical lesson in this miracle beyond provision for hungry people. God would carry His people through the hard times; then He expected them to grow crops and make their own provision. Whatever our profession or calling, God expects our co-operation to provide for our families.

When the job dissolves, the garden fails, or the bank crashes, it could be a test of whether we’ll continue to be obedient. God will be as faithful to us in those times as He was to the Israelites.

Do what you can and then trust God to fill in the gaps.

Phyllis Qualls Freeman has over 250 published devotionals, human interest, and other articles. She is working on her first book. Phyllis loves reaching out to touch those who have long-term, life-altering situations to share God’s love. Married to her college sweetheart for fifty years, they have three children and five grandchildren. Pqfreeman40@yahoo.com Read Phyllis’s devotions.

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When Jesus Says, “Come” – Phyllis Freeman
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Going Home

Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. Ecclesiastes 12:7

Something was different. Whenever I visited Mom in the nursing home, her eyes usually opened wider and her smile broadened. But this day, her body slumped in the mauve recliner near the nurses’ station. I saw only a weak smile, her breathing labored.

The evening nurse checked Mom’s vitals. Mom stopped breathing twice when they attempted to lay her down. An RN was sure Mom would be gone within forty-eight hours. That evening she became non-responsive. She was severely dehydrated. I asked the nurse if certain suggestions they made would prolong Mom’s death, and she said “Yes.” I remembered my pastor had said, “We used to allow a patient to die naturally.” I chose that.

The second night, Bev and I slept in recliners near Mom’s bed. About 2:00 a.m. Mom was restless.

At 3:00 a.m. Bev recognized the signs of death creeping up Mom’s body. I knelt on a pillow beside her bed and prayed so she could hear me. Then I spoke. “Mom, our pastor mentioned that Jesus would soon say ‘Come,’ and I think He’s saying that to you now. It’s okay, Mom. Take that step of faith and go to Him.” I continued praying until I felt a joy and victory in my spirit. I looked at Mom’s face and saw a tear roll from her left eye. My friend said, “Look, there is a tear here too,” pointing to the other side of her face. Then she was gone.

I’m certain God welcomes his saints one at a time into His presence. The Scriptures tells us that their death is precious to Him.

Alzheimer’s disease ravages the body and confuses the mind. Through caring for my mom, I knew the disease could not destroy her spirit. Her physical shell still lay on her bed, but her spirit was with her Lord.

Do you need reassurance that your loved one’s spirit is alive? Pray with them, sing hymns. Watch for any sign that God has reached beyond their mind to their spirit. Do this until he calls them home.

Phyllis Qualls Freeman has over two-hundred-fifty published devotionals, human interest, and other articles. She is working on her first book. Phyllis loves reaching out to touch those who have long-term, life-altering situations to share God’s love. Married to her college sweetheart for fifty years, they have three children and five grandchildren. Pqfreeman40@yahoo.com

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No Stone Throwing – Phyllis Freeman
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Don't Throw Stones

…Neither do I condemn you… John 8:11

Throwing stones is dangerous. Windows can be broken, someone may get a bruise, or my camper might end up with dents.

When I heard plink, plink, I peeked out my kitchen window. Two young neighbor children were peppering stones onto our driveway and a few of those stones hit our family’s camper.

If I yelled at the girls, as neighbors often did, it wouldn’t accomplish anything; that didn’t seem to work with them. So I left my home, crossed the yard, and knocked on their front door.

“Your girls are throwing stones and hitting my camper,” I told their dad. “Would you have them stop?”

“Your sons started it,” he shouted. Then he said the girls were actually throwing rocks at my sons who hid behind our camper, teasing them.

“They were aggravating us,” the girls chimed in.

Red-faced, I apologized to the man. “I’m sorry, but if you and I can agree that they will stop throwing stones, then I’ll talk to my boys too.” He agreed. I had a session with the boys and the trouble stopped.

When a woman in the Bible was caught doing wrong, the Pharisees and other leaders wanted to stone her as the Old Testament Law dictated. Appearing to care what Jesus thought, they asked Him what they should do. Jesus told them to go ahead and punish her . . .“If any one of you is without sin . . .”

Each man stood there for a minute and thought about his own life. They individually decided they didn’t qualify as a stone-thrower. No one flung a rock her way. No one was sinless.

Throwing stones, whether they are hard rocks or harsh words is not God’s way of dealing with sin. He offers forgiveness instead of condemnation.

When we feel like flinging a stone at someone, let’s consider if we’ve ever committed a sin. If we have, let’s just back slowly away offering a kind word or a prayer.

Phyllis Qualls Freeman has over two-hundred-fifty published devotionals, human interest, and other articles. She is working on her first book. Phyllis loves reaching out to touch those who have long-term, life-altering situations to share God’s love. Married to her college sweetheart for fifty years, they have three children and five grandchildren. Pqfreeman40@yahoo.com.

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Salvaging Treasure – Phyllis Freeman
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For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost. Matthew 19:10 NIV

It was 1622. Spain anxiously awaited the twenty-eight ship fleet to return from the Caribbean ports with their precious cargo. The Nuestra Señora de Atocha and the Santa Margarita were part of a convoy of Spanish ships laden with an abundance of gold, jewels, and silver gathered from various Caribbean ports. The ships were tossed about by hurricanes after their departure from Cuba until both ships wrecked somewhere near the coast of Florida. Their treasure lay buried in the deep blue waters for over three hundred years.

It wasn’t until the early 1970’s that Melvin Fisher and his crew of divers located the vessels and began the arduous task to salvage the gold, silver, and historical relics from the ocean’s bottom.

There were numerous hindrances to retrieving the prized cargo. Heavy squalls, the sweltering hot sun, piracy, and legal battles slowed their progress. Mel Fisher’s son, Dirk, and two others lost their lives in 1975 when their boat capsized in rough waters. Mel’s crew was undeterred and continued to search the bottom of the ocean, eventually rescuing gold, silver, and artifacts valued at $200 to $400 million dollars.

Mel Fisher’s determined effort (even at the cost of his son’s life) reminds us of someone else who cared enough to seek for His own treasure. God allowed His Son’s life to be given in the process of finding those who are lost from His presence and His love.

Does it seem that you have literally been dropped to the bottom of the ocean and are lost among the debris of the world? Do you wonder if anyone knows or cares that the atmosphere of your life has corroded your soul? Does it seem that you are trapped by your surroundings and will never be found? Don’t give up.

Christ never stops searching for His lost ones. He is willing to cleanse your life, scrape off the corrosion, and refinish you in His love. Then you will shine as pure gold.

Phyllis Qualls Freeman has over two-hundred-fifty published devotionals, human interest, and other articles. She is working on her first book. Phyllis loves reaching out to touch those who have long-term, life-altering situations to share God’s love. Married to her college sweetheart for fifty years, they have three children and five grandchildren. Pqfreeman40@yahoo.com Read Phyllis’s devotions.

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God’s Deeper Purposes – Phyllis Freeman
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…your faith has healed you. Matthew 9:22 NIV

“Mom, come check this bump on my shin,” Kyle called after he showered and slipped into his pajamas. I figured my teenager had taken a hard fall at the skating rink.

When the bump was still prominent after a week, we made an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon. The doctor was concerned and sent Kyle for an x-ray. Not satisfied with the x-ray, he ordered a ct scan. The doctor finally deduced that what he called a tumor was not malignant, but he would continue to monitor it; and he did month after month.

One Sunday our pastor asked, “Anyone who desires prayer, come forward.” My teenager boldly walked to the altar and received prayer for his leg. The next time we visited the orthopedic surgeon, the doctor stated, “The tumor is gone. You don’t have to see me again.”

What joy! We felt so blessed.

The woman who had suffered twelve years touched the edge of Jesus’ cloak and was healed. Jesus said, “Take heart daughter, your faith has healed you.” Scripture says she was healed from that moment.

Kyle’s incident told me that his faith was active. He believed and he exhibited his faith. What I also realize now is that God may have performed that miracle for him with a larger purpose in mind. Several years later, Kyle needed to realize that God was close and personal as he faced heart surgery for his thirteen-year-old daughter. My son could remember what God did for him as a teenager and know that God would be there for him now. Amanda’s surgery had some surprises, but went amazingly well. Her doctor said, “Someone else was in the operating room with us today. She is going to be fine.”

An elderly minister once stated that we should study the miracles of Jesus because they always had purpose beyond the obvious. At Lazarus’ resurrection from the dead, Jesus said his desire was that those hearing him pray might believe that God had sent him. The miracle was actually done to instill faith in others.

Should we watch, listen, and think about what God’s deeper messages are for us in our everyday life? Does he give miracles or healing only for our comfort and happiness, or are God’s purposes sometimes beyond what is evident at the time?

Phyllis Qualls Freeman has over two-hundred-fifty published devotionals, human interest, and other articles. She is working on her first book. Phyllis loves reaching out to touch those who have long-term, life-altering situations to share God’s love. Married to her college sweetheart for fifty years, they have three children and five grandchildren. Pqfreeman40@yahoo.com Read Phyllis’s devotions.

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