6/28/2020
Dear Daddies EverywhereDEAR DADDIES EVERYWHERE
When did it happen? This little boy turned into a little man. I wanted to squeeze him tight, and whisper urgings to ‘please stop growing so fast’. I could see him as I rode my bike his way. Walking alone from my dad’s house to his own. I stopped and asked where his little feet were taking him. “I’m getting my fishing pole” he replied. His next words hit me hard~ ”My daddy told me he trusts me”. Was he really that old already? Wasn’t it just yesterday he was sitting on his daddy’s lap? What happened to my baby grandson? He was a little man. Alone, fetching his fishing supplies. I smiled as I watched him gather them up and walk back to my dad’s. He informed me he didn’t need any help. I watched as he put the worm on his hook, as he threw his line out and reeled It in. Over and over. All by himself. A little man that his dad trusted. I thought about the man who was teaching him. His daddy. I thought about all the lessons and habits he would imitate just from watching him. Even now he wanted to be like him. Casting and re-casting. Not giving up. And I thought about his little eyes looking up into his dad’s and seeing a picture of his Heavenly Daddy. We as moms can get so overwhelmed in the mothering, but the same holds true for dads. Sometimes the responsibilities of being a father can be overwhelming. But time passes quickly and every action and reaction shows your children a picture of God and how they will view Him. Whether that means a daddy that has patience, mercy and forgiveness, comfort and love, or a daddy that gets angry easily and has no time for his children because his life is too busy. Daddies everywhere, I wonder if your Heavenly Father is looking down at you and saying- I’m trusting you. I’m trusting you to be a picture of me to your children, the children I gave you. I’m trusting you to teach them through your actions what forgiveness and mercy mean. What love means. What being a daddy is all about. I’m trusting you. There might be times that you mess up, but just like my little man kept putting the worms on his hook and casting his line, he did not give up. Ultimately he wanted his daddy to be proud of him. One day you will be watching this little man of yours as he holds his newborn son. No longer your little boy. You will wish for more time. You will wish for that moment back. That moment he was sitting on your lap as you taught him to fish. You will have to let go and trust him to be the daddy God wants Him to be. He will teach his son all the things that you taught him. Four generations all present as my grandson cast his line that day. His daddy, his BaPa and his Pops all stood watching. I’m sure for my husband and dad, many memories came flooding back of moments with their own boys at this age. Just like it was yesterday. The time is fleeting. They are grown and gone before you know it. Daddies everywhere, does your son see Jesus in you? Do you strive to be like Jesus in everything you do? Is that what he will remember? Don’t give up. Keep up the work. Be that example to your children. Strive to be like your Heavenly Father. Be that picture of Jesus they need to see. It’s never too late. Your Heavenly Father is looking down and telling you~ those children are a gift I gave to you. I trust you. Show them a picture of me.
6/19/2020
Read Through The BibleSo, 60 days ago a family member of mine asked if I wanted to start a bible plan with him.
The plan was~Read through the Bible in 60 days. 😳 All kinds of thoughts~and arguments with myself~ran through my head. ⁃ If I say no, what will he think of me? ⁃ 60 days for the whole Bible?? How much time will that take me to read every day? ⁃ I don’t have time for that much reading! ⁃ I’m a pastor’s wife, I should make the time. ⁃ But I don’t have time! ⁃ Maybe I can just “listen” as I do dishes or put on my makeup, then say I read it. ⁃ I just want to read a short devotional every morning, pray and feel good about myself for putting my time in. ⁃ I don’t have time for that much reading! ⁃ Then Jesus said- “Yes you do Charisse”. And it changed my life. Guys, it changed my life. I make the time to watch TV, movies and Instagram stories. I make the time to go on Facebook. I make the time to scroll endlessly through Pinterest. I make the time for relationships that are important to me. I go on dates with my husband. I spend time with my children and grandchildren. Is my relationship with God important? I have the time to get in Gods word. I have the time for the One Who created me, loves me and died for me. The One Who forgave me of every wicked thing I’ve ever done and will ever do. The One Who took away my sins and gave me eternal life. The One Who gave me this wonderful, amazing, glorious, blessed life. I am spoiled beyond belief by His blessings and I was arguing with myself about giving Him an hour of my time each morning to truly get to know Him. My eyes have been opened to so much. The more I read, the more I wanted to read. The more I read, the more I wanted to talk to Him. The more I read, the more I felt His presence, His comfort, His peace. He became more real to me each day and I couldn’t wait until the next day to read again. I don’t usually write posts like this, but I’d like to give you some tips that helped me on this 60 day journey. ⁃ Before you ever start, ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you each day. Ask Him to show you what God wants you to learn from His words. Even difficult passages with genealogies came alive to me. ⁃ Get the Bible app. You can read along with the narrator. You can also speed the narration up. I started at 1.5 speed and increased it to 2. It was difficult to follow along at first and I had to keep pausing it to reread, but eventually the speed became normal to me and it was easy to follow along. ⁃ http://bible.com/app ⁃ I was able to highlight verses on this app and later go back and highlight the verses in my physical bible as I reread them. It was like a double blessing. ⁃ Find a partner to read along with you. It helps you to stay on track and not get lazy. ⁃ At the same time, don’t beat yourself up if you have to miss a day. Life happens. God understands this. ⁃ Stop looking at God’s word as a “get out of jail” card and ask Him to help you see it as a means of getting to know Him in a deeper way. I realized how often I opened God’s word to make me feel better. I always made it about me and rarely made it about God and just loving Him and wanting to glorify Him. We were never created to just live our lives on our own, maybe giving God 15 minutes in the morning to read a quick devotional then go about our day. We were created to live in complete fellowship with Him. To be engulfed in the gospel and have it transform our lives. To glorify him in everything we do. It is only because of God that we are here. How foolish we have become in thinking that we are living and glorifying Him by “giving” him 15 minutes of our day when He gave EVERYTHING for us. We are a generation that binge watches Netflix, gets pulled into reality shows and social media, that does extreme diet and exercise plans to change our lives but neglect the very book that can literally transform us from the inside out. Please don’t think that I see myself as better, or more spiritual than others for doing this. Quite the opposite. On this journey, with a clearer vision I have seen myself and the wickedness my sinful heart holds. I’ve seen how much I have taken for granted and how much I have let slide, but I’ve also seen how very much God loves me. I am so undeserving of His love and yet He redeemed me. That brings me to my knees. I’d like to challenge you today to start a 60 day plan with Jesus. If you have never experienced God’s redeeming love, please reach out to me. There’s so much more I’d love to share. Guys, it will change your life!!
6/17/2020
My Bike Got StolenMY BIKE GOT STOLEN
It’s sort of a silly thing to write about. I live in a very small, safe town. I’ve had the same bike for 20 years. Weather permitting I ride it every day, usually back and forth from my dad’s condo or my kid’s houses. And weather permitting I often leave it outside at night, because I know I’ll be on it again the next day. And because my town is safe. We have an excellent police force that patrols our neighborhoods often. It’s like family here. It’s home. We look out for each other. We trust. I loved that bike. My dad gave me this silly little basket to put on the front of it. It says “I ❤️ my bike.” Just the other day as I was riding that bike home, I smiled at that basket~as cheesy as it was~it was a gift from my dad and it was special. It often held his dinner as I drove it down to him. So yes, it’s silly but I’ll miss that bike. I was angry and then sad that someone felt compelled to come and take it. My heart kept thinking about what was taken from me. But then God nudged my heart. He always does. I argued with Him a little~ “But God, I used that bike to take care of my dad. I rode that bike with my own children when they were little. I used that bike to go babysit my grandchildren, I used that bike to stay healthy...” And He said~ “Charisse instead of focusing on what was taken from you, focus on what you’ve been given and how that gift can still be used for my glory, even when it’s no longer yours.” I couldn’t help but think about that basket my dad gave me and how it reminded me of the baskets of bread and fish the disciples gathered up after Jesus fed the 5,000. All from 5 loaves and 2 fishes. The lunch of a little boy who was willing to give it all to Jesus. Am I willing to give it all to Jesus? Even the things that are precious to me? My family? My husband and children? My possessions? Even my bike? Am I willing to let go of what I thought was mine, realizing everything I have is God’s and that even when the people and things I cherish are no longer in “my possession” God can continually use them for His glory? Are you willing, or are you like me~arguing with God and telling Him all the reasons why His plan can’t work? Maybe whoever decided to take my bike is laughing right now, thinking that it was all just a joke to them. Maybe the person who took it really needed a bike, a bike with a cheesy basket attached to it. Whatever the case may be, I’m going to choose to believe that the reason behind it no longer belonging to me is ultimately for God’s glory and He wants me to trust Him. If I can’t trust His reasoning behind the small things in life~ like my bike getting stolen~how will I ever trust Him with the big things~whether that means the scary things like pandemics, quarantines, floods, hornets, shootings and riots~ or the precious things like my family. And so, to the new owner of that 20 year old burgundy bike with the cheesy basket, I am smiling and hope that you enjoy it as much as I did and that you smile every time you read “I ❤️my bike”. It might sound silly to trust God’s reasoning behind a bike getting stolen but even something small like 5 loaves and two fishes or a bike with a cheesy basket, can somehow bring glory to God long after it’s no longer in our possession. We just have to trust. “As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.” 2 Cor. 6:10 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.” Isaiah 55:8 “That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.” Ephesians 1:12
6/8/2020
I Will Always Be MomI WILL ALWAYS BE MOM
It’s so easy when they’re little. They look up at you with wide eyes, and soak up every word. They believe you. You’re mom, so your words to them must be true. “You’re so beautiful.” You’re such a big boy.” “Hold on to my hand when we cross the street.” “Don’t talk to strangers.” “You’re doing great.” But then~ Things change. It gets harder. You can see it in their little eyes. Trusting innocence is missing and it squeezes your heart. “Don’t listen to what those kids are saying about you. You are beautiful. You are strong. “Don’t let go of my hand around your friends. Don’t be embarrassed to hug me one more time...” And your heart says~ “Not yet. I’m not ready. You’re still my little one~ No matter how old you get, I will always hold your hand. I will never let go. I will always be here. I will always be mom.” And then~ It gets even harder. Their eyes roll as you speak. It hurts, but you pretend that it doesn’t as you scold. “Don’t hang around with that crowd.” “Don’t let go of God’s hand.” “Don’t fall for that person. They don’t love you. They don’t treat you right~ God has so much more for you.” And then~ Their eyes sparkle with happiness. You breathe that sigh of relief. When God worked on their hearts and held their hands. When God brought a spouse that loved them with the love you prayed for all along. When you thought the “don’t’s” were behind you~ you find yourself being a mom still. Because that’s what moms do. They protect. They pray over. They worry and they warn. Because they’ve lived it. They’ve seen things that cause happiness and hope. Joy and forgiveness. Comfort and love. But they’ve also seen heartache. Things that cause pain. Things that tear you away from your spouse. Away from God. You speak your heart. Inside it screams~ please listen to me. They say “thank’s mom”, but their eyes say~ “mom can be so dramatic about things .” They say “I know mom”, but their eyes say~ “mom worries about way too much.” And deep inside, your heart whispers~ ”No matter how old you get, I will always hold your hand. I will never let go. I will always be mom. “ And then the day comes that their eyes are looking into the little eyes of their own children, the eyes that soak up every word. The little eyes that don’t trust. The eyes that roll when they speak. And your child looks your way. Their eyes catch yours and they say, “I understand mom.” Their eyes say “thank you.” And their eyes soak up everything you say again, because they’ve been there. They’ve seen the things that cause heartache and pain, and they don’t want their little ones to go through those same things. They’ve also seen the things that bring happiness and hope. Joy and forgiveness. Comfort and love. And with a smile, they lean in and whisper to their little one~ “I will always hold your hand. I will never let go. I will always be mom.”
6/5/2020
Your Comfort ZoneYOUR COMFORT ZONE
I am perfectly content here. Hidden behind a screen. Allowing my words to flow on the page, without ever having to speak them out loud. Sending messages of hope and love to others, without ever truly leaving my comfort zone. Convincing myself that God is using me to pen words of hope and encouragement, and I need not do more. But I am wrong. I need to do so much more. This quarantine? It is my happy place here at home. Being ordered to stay at home with no contact is perfect for an introvert like me. I could stay this way for months and it would not affect me. But God is pulling at my heart. He is telling me He wants more. He wants me to step through that door. He doesn’t just want my pretty words. He wants love in action. I know this will be hard for me. To leave my comfort zone here behind the screen. To physically reach out to people I don’t know and show them the love of God. I don’t know if I can do it. But I know He can through me. The love of God. That says it all. It fills my heart to overflowing, and that is the love I need and want to share. Not just with my words on a screen, but also with my actions. It will be a new day when the quarantine is lifted. To leave my comfort zone and tread new waters, but God has shown me there is so much more of His love that I can share. So much more than my mere words. So I will step out and pursue others with His passion. I will step out of this quarantine with a new resolve that my life will be different. My love will speak different. I will still be a struggling, shy introvert but~ It will be Christ in me. I want His heart of love to become my heart of love. Do you feel God telling you that you can do more? Maybe the past 70? days have been far from your comfort zone, and you long to be outside those doors. Maybe you are the opposite of me, you long to be with others. Maybe God is asking you to step into His peace within the walls of your home, and the comfort only He can give. The comfort you have been looking for in others instead of Him? Wherever you may be, will you step out with me today? Step out of your comfort zone and into the steps God has for you ahead? The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and He delights in His way. That is my “end of quarantine” goal. To step out in His love and into His comfort, so that He delights. I want Him always to delight in me. Psalm 37:23 Hebrews 13:2 Galatians 5:14 Matthew 25:34-40 |
© 2020 HOLDING HOPE