Words From The Wheel

Dedicated To God

If you’ve followed my blog or read my posts for very long at all, then you know that I am 150% dedicated to my God. I am by no means perfect and wouldn’t venture so far as to claim that I am. I’m no Bible scholar and I know I still have a lot to learn.

You’ll also know that I’m not preachy, judgey, holier-than-thou and I don’t push my “religion” on people. However, if you ask my advice and the Lord moves me to speak a word, I won’t hesitate. “Here am I, Lord”, that’s my motto! You also know that if you ask me to pray, I will. And I have back up warriors! 🙂

I want nothing more than to be REAL, even if in the infant stages of obedience to God. I can’t remember where I heard it now, but I remember hearing an interesting statistic one time. It said that the primary cause of atheism and agnosticism is…Christianity.

Isn’t that sad?

Let Your Little Light Shine!

I grew up in the church. Well, “in and out of the church” would be a better way to put it. We went every chance we got. Mama has never in her life had a driver’s license and once we left the mountains, Daddy never went to church again.

My grownup years weren’t much different, although I have ALWAYS loved God. I just wasn’t dedicated to Him. There were just SO MANY THINGS I didn’t know, for so long, that I was literally powerless. Why, I was even filled with the Holy Ghost before I actually knew what it meant. Praise God!

I guess the thing that got to me the most, after thinking back on it, was the fact that I went through so very much without any real Christian stepping forward. I mean, sure, a lot of people have told me that they were praying for me, and that was very appreciated, especially if they really were. But where were the arms, legs and mouthpieces of Jesus?

No one within reaching distance told me my soul was really lost. Nobody told me, when I was chin-deep in sin, that I was bound for hell and setting a bad example for my kids. No one offered to sit down and actually pray with me.

Why Hold Back?

I have to wonder sometimes, what made people hold back? I mean, to be honest, nobody really “acts” on their faith anymore, right? We all figure it’s the preacher’s job to do the warning. Besides, if we actually told someone they were doing something harmful for their eternal soul, they might get offended <gasp!> We just don’t do that!

Or maybe anyone who really saw where I was at thought that I might get mad if they said something like that. In reality, I might have. But wouldn’t you rather make a person mad if it would eventually crack their exterior enough for some Sonshine to get in?

I would!

But I do hold back sometimes. Okay, I hold back a little bit. I do try to ease in a conversation starter if I see the place to do so. Let me tell you, I’m alive and serving the Living God today because SOMEBODY told me the truth! They didn’t even have to condemn me or tell me I was going to hell.

In reality, love is enough.

So let me ask this way…maybe you’re willing to hold back condemnation, but are you willing to also withhold love? Maybe that’s all that one person needs? To see that Christians actually do care, and aren’t staring down in judgment.

All You Need Is Love

As it turns out, the people in my life that made the biggest impact loved me when I was unlovable. Imagine that! Someone loving a lost person who didn’t even realize they were lost! It’s novel. But while loving me, they also kept sharing their faith. Not in a condescending way, either.

They were excited about what God was doing! And they told me about His faithful and His love and His mercy! They told me that no matter how far a person falls, or how far away they run, there’s always a path back!

And before long… that’s what I wanted too!

Unless you’ve been there yourself, you’ll never know how important it is to hear things like that. Because while sitting alone, during the darkest times of your life, it helps. When you’re still not free of the grip of alcohol, it helps. When you’ve lost your husband and kid and feel like there’s nothing left, it helps. And when you finally decide it’s time to just exit stage left and down that bottle of pills, believe me, it helps.

Seeing The Light

At some point, all those things people said did begin to take root. It took awhile though, because the ones who really REALLY ministered to me were hundreds of miles away. I couldn’t just reach out and ask them to pray with me when I felt like I was in a hole, because that was impossible. Instead, they prayed for me from where they were and God had mercy on me.

God knew there were better things down the road, and that’s why he saved my life that night. After two 40’s and a bottle of pills, I shouldn’t be sitting here writing this, but praise the Name of Jesus, I am!

So if you wonder why I send out encouragement to a fault, that’s why. Because at one time, I was the one reading the encouragement coming from someone else. Even through a snarled face and a huff in my voice, it still resonated with my spirit.

And if you wonder why it seems like nothing bothers me and I’m always happy, that’s why. Knowing the my Father God carried me through the toughest time of my life, it makes me constantly look up! King David said, Why are you downcast, O my soul? And I can say that too.

My prayer is that, if you’re in a dark place, maybe something you read on this blog will help you to see a glimmer of light. Or maybe a ray of hope will shine through and give you something to look at besides what seems like eternal darkness.

There IS a hope! There IS assurance! There IS a better way.

And His Name is Jesus!