Tag Archives: Trust

Bobby’s Prayer – Kevin Spencer
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Please, Lord, rescue me! Come quick Lord and help me. Psalm 40:13

The year was 1937. On a sick bed in Caswell County, North Carolina, a seven-year-old boy lay dying of pneumonia. In 1937, before penicillin and sulfa drugs, pneumonia was death.
It was a lingering death, at that.

As the young boy’s condition worsened, ladies in the neighborhood came to relieve his exhausted mother. They would sit through the night at his bedside, wiping his fevered brow. But their efforts did nothing to slow the gradual strangling as the boy’s lungs filled. He could keep no medication down. He was dying.

At last, the end came. “The last day,” the boy’s doctor said. His name was Dr. Simpson. He had been coming to see the boy twice a day, visiting and treating him in the family home. And now he gave the family the bad news. The boy wouldn’t last the night. The young seven-year-old, although drifting in and out of consciousness, nevertheless heard this. He understood his condition and although he could no longer speak, in his heart and mind he began to pray, “Lord please don’t let me die; it would hurt my mother too much.”

Day drifted into night. The boy, when he was conscious, continued to repeat his simple prayer. And then, in the upper left corner of his darkened room, a light appeared. Out of that light came a voice: “Stop worrying. You are not going to die. Go back to sleep. You need the rest.” Immediately a deep peace came over the boy and he drifted back to sleep.

When the boy next awoke, Dr. Simpson was back, checking his breathing. Daylight filled the room. The boy heard Dr. Simpson tell his parents, “I don’t want to give you false hope, but his vital signs are just a little better than yesterday.” Again the boy slept, and again he awoke to Dr. Simpson checking him. Late afternoon light filled the room. The doctor turned to the boy’s mother and told her, “There is improvement. I think we may be turning the corner.” The boy’s mother left the room so no one would see her tears.

Dr. Simpson turned to pull the boy’s covers back up. As he did, the boy touched his arm and struggled to speak. “I’ll not die,” he rasped out.

Dr. Simpson bent low and spoke softly. “No, Bobby, you’re not going to die.”

He started to rise, but Bobby wasn’t finished. He tugged at the doctor’s arm again. and spoke, his voice barely a whisper.  “Last night I prayed, ‘Lord, don’t let me die.’ and He answered me. God told me, ‘You are not going to die.”’ That took all the boy’s strength and he collapsed back onto his pillow.

Dr. Simpson leaned close and said, “Bobby, you keep talking to God. He is a better doctor than I am.”
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Bobby would keep talking to God. Through his recovery from pneumonia and through his multiple surgeries as a teenager to recover from the devastating effects of polio, Bobby kept talking to God. And God kept answering with His healing mercy. I know this, because Bobby was, is, Robert Eudean Spencer, my father. And on March 26, 2012, he will celebrate his eighty-second birthday.

God listens. He hears. Put your cares before Him . . . and listen for His answer.

Kevin Spencer lives in Tennessee with his beautiful wife Charlotte and grandson Caleb. He is a staff writer for www.ChristianDevotions.us.  A former prodigal son, Kevin is now trying to use the gifts God gave him, and by the grace of God has a life far better than he ever deserved.

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Stillness Required – Mary Denman
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Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him; do not fret over those who prosper in their way, over those who carry out evil devices. Psalm 37:7

Be still. Wait patiently. Do not fret. Simple words. Difficult assignment.

Unless you catch and understand three other words. Before the Lord.

All of us live in a super busy world. Noise is a constant for most of us. Our to do list grows exponentially. Electronics dominate our lives. With the click of a button, we communicate with others around the world. Another click and we get the latest updates on news, entertainment, fashion, or our friends. Then there are the play dates. Sports teams. Business meetings. Each of us has our own busy schedule.

I recently had surgery. A week later, a migraine cluster hit and that lasted four weeks. With migraines, sometimes the only thing to do is be still in a dark, quiet room. As a mom with five kids, that’s hard to do. How was I to get my daughter to her college classes when I couldn’t drive? My son to swimming?

Thankfully the body of Christ stepped in. I had wonderful people I’d never even met bringing meals. Someone drove my daughter for me. Others picked up my son. And through all of it, I came to realize that the surgery and migraines were part of God’s reminder for me to slow down. Way down. And be still. Before Him.

It took a while to understand that the suffering is ultimately for my good. The surgery will help in the long run and the migraines made me step back and evaluate what’s important in life. It hurt me to not be so active with my kids, but I spent more time just holding them, as well as praying for God to step in and work on my behalf. I saw God using my suffering in their lives to develop sensitivity and compassion. Is this a path I would have chosen if God had asked me first? No. But has He taught me through it? Yes. And I am thankful.

How has God tried to slow you down to be still before Him? Don’t fight Him. Instead, take a moment and be still before Him.

Mary Denman is an author and photographer and, in her words, an observer. She’s a homeschool mom of five kids. Mary’s keen eye through the camera has allowed her to capture much of God’s beauty in new and unique ways. You can visit Mary at http://marydenman.blogspot.com/p/about-me.html

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Shattered Pieces – Carol Levergood
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Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant. Isaiah 30:13

Shattered windows. That’s what we witnessed many times as we drove between the cities of Pouso Alegre and Campinas, Brazil. We could surmise what had happened. Cars headed down a sharp hill, hit a valley, then climbed back up again and the tremendous changes in air pressure caused their windshields to burst. Halfway through our two-hour trip, our front windshield shattered.

There’s no reason to buy lunch now,” my husband said. “We’ve already had our fill of ‘fresh meat’ today through the busted window.” We did pick some strange things from our teeth.

Had we pressed our hands against the windshield or rolled down a window to ease the pressure inside the car, we may have saved the glass breaking, but we didn’t know we were entering a high-pressure area. We were so distracted by the beautiful scenery and by talking with one another that we sometimes forgot to watch for upcoming pressure areas.

The pressures of life can also be great, like periods of highs and lows, especially like these trying times around us. The pressure is on. Bills need to be paid and money is sparse but that doesn’t mean ignoring the preparation. Finances can be tricky—never knowing when our planned pathway will drop or curve. The pressure will change but God encourages us to be prepared for whatever lies ahead.

Be aware; watch for those mountains and valleys. Outside pressures do not have to shatter your life. Keep your eyes fixed on the “road,” and allow God to guide you even in your finances. Trust in Him.

Carol Levergood is an author, speaker, and CLASS Seminar member. She is a pastor’s wife and former missionary to Brazil where they served for twenty-one years. Visit Carol at www.lulu.com/blevergood. Many call her the Carman Miranda wannabe.

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The Power of Vision – Dwayne Harris
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But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. Matthew 13:16

I went into an eye-glass store a while back and stopped at a display that read, “Try me,” to try on a pair of polarized sun glasses. Putting on the glasses, I looked at the display, amazed as images I hadn’t seen just moments before materialized. These simple images were there the whole time, yet without the effect of the lenses I had missed them. “Wow! Can you see that?” I asked my son. He told me he couldn’t and I continued to lift the glasses up and down on my face. I was amazed at how quickly the pictures would disappear without the power of the polarized vision.

Walking away from the store display, the Holy Spirit showed me the same comparison between our physical and spiritual vision. He softly reminded me that if we are not careful, we will simply look at life’s situations through the eyes of the flesh and miss all that is truly present and at work in the Spirit. Much like responding to the display, God desires that we heed his invitation to “Try me.” Only when we spend time in his presence will our eyes begin to focus on those things that only moments before were unseen and overlooked.

Many people think vision is simply allowing your eyes to focus on what is before you. However, vision for the believer is much greater than this. It is the ability to see beyond the present and into the potential of tomorrow.

Is life wearing you down? Has its trials and troubles stolen your joy and sense of purpose? If so, maybe the greatest need is not an immediate solution to your present situation, but the ability to see beyond it. If standing one minute in front of a store display can improve physical vision, what could a minute standing in God’s presence do? Why not spend the next moment reflecting on who God is and watch how quickly your vision for life comes back.

Dwayne Harris is the founder of Fresh Outpouring Ministries, Inc. and is an International Evangelist and Law Enforcement Officer. He is also the speaker of the “Message in a Minute” wed-based devotional video series. Visit www.freshoutpouring.com for more information.
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Overwhelming Concern by Joanna Shumaker
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The Lord will accomplish that which concerns me. Your loving kindness, O Lord, is everlasting. Psalm 138:8

A powerful hurricane zoomed our way. It would hit by nightfall. The sheer strength of its force as it plundered islands along its path was enough to make us worry about the effects it would have on our little outpost. But this was only one of many hurricanes we had weathered. We had done it before and we could do it again. Still, the worry of what might happen or what might be lost in the process, weighed me down with concern.

I’ve felt hurricanes in my life as well. Like the swirling details of moving over 800 miles away from family and friends, selling and buying a house, finding a job, deciding on schools, and preparing my kids for a new change they really didn’t want. It seemed a daunting task. So many things piled up in my mind and caused stress, worry, and concern. I felt washed over by waves of worry and mountains of to-do lists.

I Never Chose Arabia – She Said
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I Never Chose

I Never Chose

I Never Chose Arabia – She Said

Listen to I Never Chose Arabia – She Said

… I did not immediately consult with anyone; nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia. (the desert). Galatians 1:16a-17b

Surely God, I thought, you’re not asking me to leave my church family.

It was the hardest year of our lives…my life, when God nudged me away from the congregation where I was raised. Those people who’d taught me, inspired me, guided me in my knowledge of Christ, would soon be in my past.

For months people whispered. Rumors found their way to me and my heart was broken. “Think about this,” one said. “You realize what you’re doing? Right?” The decision ultimately lay in my hands — stay where life was comfortable or walk into the desert. Few believed me, fewer cared, but I knew God had called me into uncharted territory. There was no question about His intention, only my decision to follow.

It was the best decision God has ever made for me and God did make the decision to call me. It wasn’t my idea to walk away from those brothers and sisters in Christ I loved and toward a different congregation who took me under wing. There was no counseling with church leadership or family. There were no friends knocking my door down attempting to convince me otherwise. In fact, the fourteen weeks it took for me to decide was like standing ankle deep in the burning hot sands of Arabia. The only sound I heard was the hot desert wind in my ears.

Paul’s past was skewed in the eyes of Christians. After all, it was his mission to annihilate them. But when Christ called him to walk into the fire, he followed. He didn’t consult with his buddies or talk with officials to get their approval…he experienced Christ first hand, so when Paul felt the nudge, he answered. His blinded eyes were opened by a God who called him (and his past) to become one of the greatest witnesses of his time.

Following after Christ is not always the popular decision; even in the church. We sometimes find ourselves buried in the complacency of our relationship with God, refusing to step into the desert and see what God has waiting.

I’ve never wanted to visit Arabia but I’ve certainly walked in the desert waiting on God. My decision became my testimony and my blessing. When God nudges you, when He presses against your heart to follow Him on a different path…step out. Go. For a time you may walk in the desert but when you reach the oasis…what a refreshment.

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Prosperity is Fleeting – Elaine Price
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You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3 NIV

I have heard it said history tends to repeat itself. Amazingly, our nation and our lives are very similar to the people Isaiah wrote these words to. They are written to the house of Judah in a time when the nation was very wealthy and had a form of godliness, but lacked a true relationship with the Lord. In short, they were self-reliant.

Even in the midst of a recession, our nation is prosperous. But, what does prosperity lead to? Does it lead to thankfulness toward God and sacrificial giving to others? Sometimes it does, but many times it leads to self-reliance and an abandonment of faith in God. The cycle can look like this: Prosperity – self-reliance – moral decay – judgment.

If I have learned anything during this time of economic downfall, it is that prosperity is fleeting, but God is eternal. When I put my trust in anything other than the Lord my God, it will fail. When I trust in my wallet, the 401K, or even the value of my home, it can and many times will fail. But God will never fail.

The person who has a steadfast mind is one that has a single focus on God Himself. Their focus is moved from themselves to God alone. Only then will they be able to focus on what is truly important in this life because they understand it has been taken care of.

Let us have “perfect peace” in the area of finance and every other area of our lives by fixing our minds on God. When we ask God to make His Word true for us, He always says yes. Ask Him to keep your mind fixed on Him today as you trust in Him completely.

Elaine Price is a minister’s wife, a freelance writer, and a student of God’s Word. Visit her blog at www.devotionsforthejourney.blogspot.com. She is also very active in the music and preschool activities at her home church. She and her husband and three young sons make their home in Odenville, Alabama.

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Can I Trust You with This? – Ellen Andersen
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In your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy. Psalm 68:10

I was out of work.

I’d been employed at the hospital for about four months and enjoyed my duties. One day I went to work only to learn the hospital had closed the hospice and contracted its services with another agency.

Now what God? I thought. How am I going to live without an income? I looked for work, but to no avail. I prayed for months, asking God to direct me to other work, but found nothing. Still, I never went without food, electricity, or heat.

God’s provision came in some of the most unpredictable ways. I received a windfall owed to me that I’d long since forgotten about. One day I picked up my mail and found an envelope with $40 cash. Whoever sent it clearly didn’t want to be recognized or thanked, as there was no return address and they’d sent it to “eLen anDerson,” and printed it as a four-year-old would.

To this day, I don’t know who it was, but I’m grateful God used them to provide for me. God proved quickly that I was to trust in Him, not in the world.

After several months, I landed a job with a temporary agency. Though it only provided intermittent work, it was enough to sustain me until I found permanent work a year later.

Through this, God showed me He knows what we need, when we need it, and He will provide, even when we can’t see how. Despite the circumstances, God is in control and has a plan to accomplish what He wants to do in our lives.

If you’re wondering how to get through a seemingly impossible situation, turn to God and ask Him to show you. He will meet your needs in His time, and according to His plan. You can trust everything to God.

Ellen Andersen is a member of the Upstate Fellowship of Christian Writers in Greenville, SC. She serves as a Stephen Minister at her church and is involved in a women’s Bible study. She is working on a memoir detailing how God used unforeseen circumstances in her life to change her focus and make her more dependent on Him.
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Follow Me – Venita McCart
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Jesus said, “If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness because you have the light that leads to life.” John 8:12 NLT

“Stay behind me. Grab on to my belt loop and follow my footsteps,” said Gary. I considered the pitch-black night sky and thick wooded forest and willingly walked behind him, seeing only his light shining on the trail ahead. Occasionally he stopped to cut branches, step over logs, or calculate surroundings. Finally we sat. “Now we wait for daylight,” he said.

Within moments there was sudden movement in the quiet; a wild turkey’s wings beat the air above me and with a powerful whoosh, swooped down from a tree close behind me with a jarring thud. My heart pounded, I jumped, and the bird quietly sauntered away. I was on full alert then, when the supposed sound of a man walking revealed a large turkey crossing on a distant ridge, a stunning silhouette against the backdrop of dawn. He walked toward me. I was mesmerized as he broke into thunderous full-throttle gobbles and a massive fan strut-dance. What a show.

I was perplexed by our dangerous return out of the woods. We traveled a rugged trail past masses of rusty barbed wire, downed trees, and snake dens; edged a high ridge between deep ravines, and skirted a narrow path around a black hole of water. Finally I asked, “Why are we taking a different route out?”

“This is the way we came in,” Gary said.

I was incredulous. I had followed him through dark rugged dangers, unaware; then within moments was given a glimpse of God’s splendor. His leading and my trust had kept me safe, and then amazed me.

I thought of that day many times after diagnosis. Life is dark in the unknown rugged terrain of cancer. When I could not see ahead, fearful and weary of the disease, Jesus said, “Follow me.” I focused more on my Bible and prayer. He has shown many wonders.

Our ultimate Guide knows the way through cancer and willingly leads His followers with His word to keep us safe, sane, and reveal the light that leads to life. Won’t you grab deeper into His word and allow Him to lead you through your journey?

Venita McCart, founder of Faith Force Cancer Support Ministries has, with her group, ministered to hundreds of patients since 2005 through group meetings, personal contacts, writing, and speaking. A cancer survivor herself, Venita is currently working on materials to comfort and encourage cancer patients, their loved ones and to help others create support ministries for the same. She and her husband live in central Illinois. Venita may be reached at venitamccart@yahoo.com.
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Peddling Through – Eli Linton
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Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. Psalm 139:7-10

I remember when I first learned how to ride a bike. I was a four-year-old—a cynical four-year-old at that. I was convinced if I took the training wheels off my bike I’d never be able to ride it again, forever lost in a purgatory of skinned elbows and scraped knees. I was perfectly content to ride my bike with four wheels forever. I had no faith in my ability to keep it upright on only two. But my dad thought otherwise.

That dreadful, terrifying day is still burned into my memory. Dad walked outside—no doubt after watching me perform uninspired loops in the driveway.

“It’s time,” he said. I stared, wide-eyed as my dad dismantled the training contraption and prepared the bike for its christening.

My heart thumped against my chest as I climbed onto the bike. My courage failed me, and I let Dad know just how futile this exercise of adolescent maturation was. Dad wasn’t about to let me go flinging myself wildly about the street on two wheels alone, so the next words he spoke calmed my fear and gave me the confidence to press on.

“Don’t worry, Eli. I won’t let you go. I will be right here the whole time. I won’t let you fall.”

From that moment on I knew I could ride my bike. For the rest of the day, no matter how violently I drove my bike, or how wildly I swerved, he was right there to catch me, encouraging me the whole time.

“You can do it, Eli. You’re doing great.”

God does the same for us every day. No matter where we go, how far we swerve away, or how far we ride, He is always by our side—encouraging us along the way. Just like my dad held the back of my seat as I learned to pedal straight, God is there guiding us. All we have to do is trust Him. He’s there for you too.

Eli Linton is a senior at Oral Roberts University. He is studying History and Journalism, and plans to attend the Graduate school of Education next summer. Linton also writes for ORU’s student newspaper the Oracle. The Oracle was recently named winner of the OCA (Oklahoma Collegiate Association) Sequoia award, given to the best college newspaper in the state of Oklahoma.

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