Not So Far Away (Faith, Hope and Love) – Monday Musical Musings

July 1st, 2013 dsisler

I love all music, but country music isn’t a genre I usually am drawn to. There have been a few groups with a particular sound that has pulled me in, but for the most part I just don’t listen to it.

 

Since I’ve been listening to a “Southern Gospel” music station on my car radio, I’ve listened to more country style music than I have in years. Some of it goes a bit too far for my liking, but then I hear a gem and am drawn in yet again to listen for more.

 

The song I mention today is one of those gems. Misty Freeman comes from a family of musicians and she has stepped out on her own to record a few albums, but one in particular caught my attention.

 

On this album, she sings a song called “Not So Far Away (Faith, Hope and Love).” There are descriptions of how faith, hope and love show up in our lives and when we recognize them, we come to understand that they are not so far away.

 

“Not So Far Away (Faith, Hope and Love)”

 

I think you might remember me;
You used to know me well before you were introduced to fear and doubt.
I was with you on that cold dark day when you were all alone

And you thought that things would never turn around.
It was me that moved that mountain you had standing in your way.
I believe you want me back so I will wait.
My name is Faith, My Name is Faith.

I noticed you were staring at that star up in the sky;
You’re looking for a light to guide you home.
You think you need a reason just to trust a simple prayer;
I am here even when you think I’m gone.
I am the companion to the happiness you will find;
And I promise I am always ever close.
My name is hope, my name is hope.
(Chorus)

I’m the one that speaks the loudest I’m the keeper of them all;
I was born before the world was ever here.
I am everywhere and everything you’ll ever need to know;
I’m the passion in you laughter and your tears.
I am the healer of the broken, the forgiver of your soul;
and I’m ready to ascend just like a dove.
My name is Love, My name is Love.

Chorus:
We are the voices that still whisper in your heart;
And if you’ll listen carefully you’ll know just where we are.
Carrying the promises that Heaven’s not so far away.

My Name is Faith. My Name is Hope. My name is Love.[i]

 

To listen to this song, you can click here.

 

Sometimes we need to be reminded of how faith, hope and love shows up in our lives. Sometimes we need to be reminded of the fact that sometimes we move away from our relationship with Jesus. Sometimes we need to be reminded that all it takes is a little step on our part to be back in the embrace of faith, hope and love.

 

If you’re searching, search no further. You can find faith, hope and love in Jesus. You will never have to question His faithfulness, loyalty, or grace. It’s all yours. It’s up to you to accept it. Why not make that choice today?

 

And if you know God’s grace but have doubts today, grab hold of the message from this song. Faith, hope and love are within your grasp. They can be found with Jesus. Reach for them. Embrace them. Choose them. Choose Jesus.

 

The concept of this song is taken from 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV). “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

 

When everything else around us seems to be falling apart, faith, hope and love will still remain. But hold on to the fact that the greatest of these three is love. And there is nothing like the love of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

 

If you’d like to leave a comment, please click here.


[i] “Not So Far Away (Faith, Hope and Love),” recorded by Misty Freeman, 2004.

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Sunday-Go-to-Meetin’

June 30th, 2013 dsisler

It’s Sunday morning and time for Sunday-go-to-meeting. It is a term in the dictionary. According to Merriam-Webster.com this term is appropriate for church going. Guess it’s a good thing that’s what I intend to do today!

 

Because it’s Sunday, I’ll also be sharing an older post with you. I pray that you’ll be a light in your world. You can start by heading to church!

 

The Light on the Back Porch

 

Growing up in Upstate New York brought with it some great experiences and memories. Bike rides to Blueberry Hill, panning for gold, tobogganing in the snow, drives though the mountains during the autumn months, boat outings on the lakes and canals of the area, visits to apple orchards for fresh pressed apple cider, and the list could go on.

 

Memories of my youth.

 

Another memory is playing baseball in the backyard with other neighborhood kids. We lived on a 3-acre lot and there was an open field at the back of the property where we had created a baseball diamond.

 

Saturday’s would come and when our chores were finished, we’d head to the baseball field with gear in hand. After rounding up our friends, a baseball game would get underway.

 

We would play for hours. We would lose track of time. We were having fun.

 

Then it would happen. My sister, my brother, or I would see it. The light on the back porch. At that moment, we knew the game was over for us. We’d gather our gear and head home. That porch light brought disappointment to us and to our fellow ball players on many occasions.

 

My dad had thought up the little system. If we were out and about and saw the porch light on, it was the signal to come home. And it worked well.

 

That light had meaning. That light contained a message. That light gave direction. That light was a beacon. That light drew us to it.

 

In our spiritual walk, we too have a light. That light is Jesus. Isaiah told of this great Light in his book. “The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” (Isaiah 9:2)

 

John the Baptizer also told of this Light. He testified concerning the Light. “The true Light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.” (John 1:6-9)

 

And when Jesus walked onto the scene, the Light had arrived and He proclaimed it. “I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

 

On another occasion Jesus said, “While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.” (John 9:5)

 

And as Jesus taught the crowds about the Light, He said, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness over takes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. Put our trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light.” (John 12:35-36)

 

Once we become “sons of light,” we are called to be a light in this world. We are to reflect the Light so that others might see Jesus through us.

 

Matthew 5:14-16 says, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

 

Our light is to be visible to all we come in contact with…in order to praise God!

 

Paul shares in 2 Corinthians 4:6 a little about light. “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”

 

Just as God created light in the beginning, He has placed light in our hearts. That light has meaning. That light contains a message. That light gives direction. That light is a beacon. That light draws us to it.

 

What power we have received! Romans 13:12 also tells us to “put on the armor of light.” We have this power from the Light all around…inside and outside.

 

So, what are you waiting for? The Light is here! The Light is waiting for you to shine! Don’t keep the Light under a bushel…oh no! I pray that you will “let that little light shine” for all to see and so that God would be glorified.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

 

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Keep Me Safe

June 29th, 2013 dsisler

We’ve had several days of severe heat here in Colorado. Near 100° for a few days and then 103° on Thursday. Obviously this was not good for the wildfires burning throughout the state. Yesterday we began the descent to where we should be this time of year. It was only 93°.

 

But we ended with a bang. The sky was filled with bolts of lightning and the thunder rumbled as it chased the lightning. Joy spent the night and she wasn’t as thrilled to see this storm roll in as I was. She told me several times she was afraid. I reassured her that there was nothing to be afraid of. I told Joy it was God’s fireworks.

 

And then, the rain began. As I stood in the window of Joy’s room at our house, the rain blew into my face. I welcomed it. I embraced it. The rain was refreshing. The rain brought relief. The rain brought a smile to my face.

 

Joy did a little dance over by the window. She too enjoyed the spray of rain coming through the window. Back and forth from the window to the bed, her spirits were lifted as she danced from one point to another. She was no longer afraid.

 

I have a quote on a wall hanging in my family room. “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass; it’s about learning to dance in the rain.” (Anonymous) I believe Joy finally got the idea of this saying last night as she danced in the rain.

 

We too can learn a lesson from this quote. During the storms of this life, we must know that God is with us and He is not going to leave us alone. There is safety and security in the arms of God our Father. There is no reason to be afraid.

 

It’s difficult to move from not being afraid to dancing. It is a big step. But when we do so, we acknowledge that God is in control and that we are living within His peace.

 

Before I went to bed, I stopped in to check on Joy and shut the bedroom window. As I looked down the street below I realized that the streets were dry. The water from all the rain had already evaporated.

 

When we are in the midst of our own storms of life, it’s so good to know that they will pass. Sometimes even leaving without a trace of being there. There are affects from the storm, but in most cases they are good. Some may be short lived. Others long lasting. Some may take years to see the outcome, while others are immediate. Regardless of the storm, things will change. Nothing will ever be the same.

 

What matters is how we handle the storm and make it to the other side.

 

In the midst of Job’s storm of life, there is a section where God speaks to Job. There are a few verses during this monologue that speak to me.

 

“Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm.” (Job 38:1 – NIV)

 

“Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm.” (Job 40:6 – NIV)

 

In the midst of our life’s storms, we must listen for God’s voice. He is there. He is with you.

 

And maybe when you’ve come to know God’s peace as Job did, you too can say, “I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.” (Job 42:2 – NIV) Job learned to dance in the rain of his storm.

 

Perhaps you are facing a storm or maybe you’re in the middle of one right now. Seek God. Look to Him. Lean on Him when it gets too difficult for you. He cares for you. “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7 – NIV)

 

I’d be happy to be praying for you during this time. If you’d like to drop me a line, you can be assured I’ll pray.

 

The weather over the next week here in Colorado is cooling off. Life outside of air conditioning will be bearable. For that I am thankful.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

 

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A Game Show

June 28th, 2013 dsisler

Do you remember the game show, $10,000 Pyramid, hosted by Dick Clark? It was a game where one team member would listen to clues from the other team member and give an answer. For example, one team member might say, “You sit on this item. It has four legs. There might be arm rests. It may be upholstered.” Then the other team member would say, “A chair.” Correct!

 

There were two elements to the show. During the first section, the giver of clues could use their hands and voice inflections to help with the description, but in the second section, their bodies had to be perfectly still and they had to speak without inflection. If during the second element either rule was broken, a buzzer would sound and they would move on.

 

Sometimes we feel like we are in this game show in life. We may not get clues, but we certainly get questions or statements. Like, “What are you going to be after school or college?” I always answered, “A high school music teacher.” If I had been on that television show, I would have heard the buzzer! I am anything but a high school music teacher…never have been and never will be.

 

Perhaps life turns serious. We may hear statements and be expected to have an answer. Like, “Your unborn child has a heart defect.” Or, “You have cancer.” How are we to respond to these statements? I’m not sure we have answers in these situations, just faith that God is in control of the situation and prayers will be answered according to His purpose.

 

And then, there are these dreaded questions. “Why do you believe there is a God?” “Can you tell me about Jesus?” “Your faith is so strong, why?” “How do I become a Christian?” Do you have an answer for this type of question?

 

I’ve heard from some that if you don’t know the theological answers to these questions, to simply tell your story. Tell them how Jesus has impacted your life and why you are different because of what He’s done. While I love this concept and think it is a start, it is just that. A start. A good start. But I believe we must be able to get into Scripture to tell others about Jesus.

 

We read in Scripture, “But make sure in your hearts that Christ is Lord. Always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks you about the hope you have. Be ready to give the reason for it. But do it gently and with respect.” (1 Peter 3:15- NIRV) So here’s my version of the salvation plan.

 

We must believe

There is a lot that we simply must have faith in. We must believe that God’s Word is living and active and that God breathed life into each verse. (Hebrews 4:12; 2 Timothy 3:16)

 

We must believe that Jesus is God’s Son, sent to be the Messiah, the Savior of mankind. (John 3:15-16; 1 John 5:1; 5:5; Romans 3:22)

 

We must believe that Jesus was crucified for the forgiveness of our sins and rose to life to prove victory over death. (Luke 24:46-7; 1 Thessalonians 4:14)

 

We must repent

Repentance means to turn completely around. To go the opposite direction of our original path. So for a believer, we must put to death the sinful nature in order for the spiritual nature to be visible. (Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:15; Acts 2:38; Acts 3:19)

 

We must confess

You’ve heard it before, Peter’s great confession of our Lord. “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16 – NIV) Yes, we must proclaim it as well. Matthew 16:16; 2 Timothy 2:19

 

We must be baptized

Jesus teaches that baptism is part of the salvation plan and was himself baptized. Peter preached it on the day of Pentecost. Paul also was baptized and preached baptism. (Matthew 3:13; 28:19-20; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Acts 9:18; Galatians 3:27)

 

We must live

Live lives that bring honor, glory and praise to God who has freely lavished grace upon us. There are plenty of passages that lead us in this direction, but I’m listing two here. (Galatians 5:16-26; Ephesians 2:10)

 

We must tell

If in fact we have the greatest news mankind has ever heard, why do we keep silent? Why isn’t His message on the tip of our tongues constantly? I don’t know the answer to that question, but I know that Scriptures tell me to share the Gospel. (Matthew 28:19-20; Luke 24:47)

 

This is just a start…but at least you’ll be able to begin with what is here. But here’s the thing. You must make it your own. I do like the story part. Write you’re your story. Practice telling it. Add Scripture to it and then you’ll be set and ready for the next person that asks you that hard question. You can do it. I know you can with God’s Spirit within you.

 

Believe it. Confess it. Live it. Tell it.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

 

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Let’s Get a Goat

June 27th, 2013 dsisler

Our lawn mower has decided it’s finished and no longer wants to cut our grass. It started making a clanking sound and then spewing dark smoke. So we took a trip to the lawn mower store (okay, it’s more than that, but the lawn mower department was our ultimate destination).

 

After a demonstration, my husband decided on one and then the real lessons began. The sales clerk showed some more features to my husband and then bent down and pulled out the oil dip stick.

 

I know what a dip stick is. My Dad taught me about cars as I was growing up. I was familiar with this little thingee and what its purpose was.

 

However, the sales clerk pulled it out and said, “This is a dipstick.” Yes, I know that and I’m pretty sure Mason knew what it was too. The sales clerk continued. “It’s not a dip and twist stick.”

 

I laughed.

 

The sales clerk wasn’t finished. He continued yet again. “If you twist the stick after dipping it into the oil, you will get a false reading. You’ll believe you are several ounces low. You’ll take some oil out. And then, you won’t have enough oil to properly lubricate the engine. So dip it in and take it out to get a good reading.”

 

I learned something from that sales clerk. And we continued to laugh through the transaction. I mentioned to him that I wrote a blog each day and that he would wind up here someday.

 

How many things do you attempt during your day that are not done properly or perhaps the outcome was not intended. I find myself frustrated when it happens to me.

 

Like when preparing dinner, I sometimes don’t read the directions for a side dish and it doesn’t turn out correctly. Or when I try to remember what was on my grocery list that is sitting on the island in my kitchen. Or the worst is when making coffee, I either spill dry coffee grounds all over or I forget to dump the old coffee and brewed coffee runs down the front of my cabinets (remember my kitchen cabinets and countertops are white!).

 

These are obviously little things, like twisting the dip stick. But what about the big ones in life? The big mistakes that have tough consequences?

 

A mistake at work. An accident. Words that you wish could be pulled back. A sin that hurts a loved one. A hurt done against you.

 

We’ve all experienced them. It’s during these moments that we have a grace-filled Father who longs to wrap us in His loving arms to forgive, protect, comfort. He knows exactly what we need. He is everything to us.

 

Abba, Father (Galatians 4:6). Deliverer (Psalm 70:5). Father of Mercies (2 Corinthians 1:3). God of peace (Hebrews 13:20-21). Guide (Psalm 48:14). Keeper (Psalm 121:5). Light (Psalm 27:1). Refuge (Deuteronomy 33:27). Shield (Psalm 5:12). Strength (Exodus 15:2).

 

He is Almighty God (Genesis 17:1). Dwelling place (Psalm 90:1). Fountain of living waters (Jeremiah 2:13). God of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3). The God who sees (Genesis 16:13). Husband (Jeremiah 31:31-32). Judge (Psalm 75:7). Lawgiver (Isaiah 33:22). The Lord who heals (Exodus 15:26). Portion (Psalm 119:57). Redeemer (Isaiah 54:8). Shade (Psalm 121:5). Strong tower (Proverbs 18:10).

 

He is the Ancient of days (Daniel 7:9). Everlasting God (Genesis 21:33). Father of lights (James 1:17). Fortress (Jeremiah 16:19). God of salvation (Habakkuk 3:17-18). Hiding place (Psalm 32:7). King (1 Samuel 12:12). Lord of righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6). Most upright (Isaiah 26:7). Potter (Isaiah 64:8). Rock (1 Samuel 2:2). Savior (Isaiah 45:21). Shepherd (Psalm 23:1). Song (Isaiah 12:2).[i]

 

Regardless of what we are going through during our day, God is there for you. Why would anyone want to go through anything without a God who is willing and able to fulfill all of these areas of my life? I don’t know about you, but just knowing that I’m covered brings great joy to my heart.

 

I serve a God who loves me. Unconditionally. Even when I dip and twist.

 

My heart is filled with praise for God today. Is yours? If not, just look up all the Scripture listed above and know how much God loves you. It might just make a difference in your outlook today.

 

Not only does this blog post offer spiritual insight, but I believe today I’ve offered some practical lawn mower maintenance advice. Maybe you’ll chuckle each time you check the oil in your lawn mower. I know I will!

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

 

To leave a comment, click here.


[i] The Names of God, George W. Knight, Barbour Publishing, 2009.

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    "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe." Ephesians 1:18-19


    I am a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. I lived in the beautiful state of Colorado for 20 years where I found great inspiration for my novels and devotional writings. Currently living in southwest Ohio.

    I am passionate about helping women find their way to Jesus through Bible study, teaching, speaking, inspirational writing and creative Bible journaling.

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