A Cage Cracked Open by Pamela Mytroen

When I envision a crack, I think of the Zoo Keeper’s wife, Antonina Zabinski, who with her husband Jan, poured her life’s work into their zoo in Warsaw, Poland. During the Nazi occupation, Lutz Heck, the top-ranking zoologist and an officer for Hitler, visited their Zoo in a façade of goodwill, and took rare animals in an attempt to re-create extinct breeds to build up enough for Nazi hunting parties. He then hosted a New Year’s Eve shooting party at their zoo. With deep sadness Antonina and Jan buried their beloved animals. That evening at sunset two hawks and an eagle circled above their garden. Their cage had been cracked open by bullets and they had flown free. However, they didn’t want to leave the only home they knew and the ones they trusted. They flew down and landed on Antonina’s porch, where she fed them.  

Sometimes a crack can open a cage and set a prisoner free, but after being confined for so long, prisoners don’t know how to navigate freedom, and they have to learn to trust all over again. 

I wonder if that’s what’s happening to us during Covid-19? For so long we have lived with certain patterns to our day, and with confident expectations. Maybe our freedom was defined by being able to meet with friends and family, schoolmates and co-workers whenever we wanted. Or perhaps our comforts consisted of travelling, whether a short trip to a Provincial campground or as far away as another country. We have defined freedom by luxury within gilded bars. Even Christians, though we sincerely trusted in the Lord and found joy and peace in Him, have been shaken. Our carefully constructed cage of comforts has cracked wide open. We weren’t expecting it. We were enjoying our short little flights inside our cage. We trusted the Lord because He brought everything to our doorstep and provided for us. Then suddenly a whole new world opened up. Would we fly and leave the cramped confines of little faith? 

Freedom has taken on a new definition. No longer does it mean leaving footprints at every retail location or laughing together over a meal with friends. No, now our freedom is internal instead of external. 

After the Apostle Paul describes the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22, he gives us this timely insight: “Against such things there is no law.” Right now there are laws against getting too close, against using playgrounds, and going to school. Against hugging and working elbow-to-elbow. Against using cash. And watch out if you cough or sneeze in public! We feel strangled, but the Spirit of the Living God is not caged-in, but rather indwells us. There is no law against love – we can and have found creative ways to love each other. A knock on our door revealed a care package from our Youth Pastor and his family – taco chips with homemade fruit salsa, and an encouraging note. People are calling or Zooming, Face timing or Skyping their loved ones more now than ever. 

There is no law against joy. In fact, Paul commands us to rejoice and to count it all joy when we encounter trials of diverse kinds (James 1:2). I think losing a job, and being separated from loved ones counts as a diverse kind of trial, don’t you? We are instructed to be joyful because trials will increase our endurance. To be joyful takes concentration some days. It doesn’t come pouring into my heart at all moments. I have to intentionally search for it. But joy takes the wheel when I focus on the big picture; when I look down the road a ways I see a stronger me. That makes me joyful, to think that I will be more like Jesus, and more ready to stand in His presence someday. I’m enduring this small cross and rejoicing, because of the joy waiting around the corner. “For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross,” (Hebrews 12:2b). 

There is no law against peace. I can go to my Father in Heaven at any moment and cast my care upon Him (1Pe 5:7). He offers to share the yoke of stress with me and in exchange gives me peace. I don’t have to wait in line outside on a cold windy day for His peace. I don’t have to wear a mask to approach Him. I don’t have to fear being arrested and fined for walking boldly into His throne room. I fly in, without an appointment, skid to a stop and fall down at His feet. I can even cough, sneeze, and rub my eyes and He won’t report me. The only requirement is that I come in the name of Jesus His Son, the One who gave His life for me – Jesus  – the One who gave up His freedom and be bound so that we could be free. 

Will I fly? I still hesitate. I still want my cage the way it was. My nest was comfy. Everything was predictable. My simple normal life has been cracked open. My routines have been stripped away. I don’t know what the future holds. But I would be crazy not to fly. I’ve been invited to ascend like an eagle into lapis lazuli skies of joy, dive into deep pools of peace, and glide with grace and love. 

Someday I will need strong wings. I will need endurance to keep going when dark clouds obscure Heaven’s shore. I want a wingspan that stretches wide with love, joy, and peace. I’d better step off my perch and start practicing.        

By Pamela Mytroen

   

Stories to Tell by Susan Barclay

Martin Luther, that great theologian of the Protestant Reformation, described faith as a “living, bold trust in God’s grace.” It is an act of the will. We choose to put our faith in God. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that “without faith, it is impossible to please [Him].”

But when someone says that “faith feeds writing and writing feeds faith,” what does that mean? I think the first half of that statement means that the experiences of a faith-filled life give us stories to tell. When we trust God, He rewards us. He may reward us with opportunities, He may reward us through the adventures on which He takes us, He may reward us with answered prayers. The rewards are as limited as our limitless God’s imagination. That is, only He knows all that He has in store for those who believe!
 

When we put our stories in writing, they feed our faith. If in a journal, they can provoke reflection on God’s character and the truths we find in His Word. If written for others, our stories often resonate in ways that prompt sharing. Knowing that God is at work in similar ways in the lives of other people builds our faith and prompts us to praise Him even more.

 Sometimes God rewards us through trials. How are trials a reward, you ask? Often it is through them that our faith grows. They cause us to press into our Father more than ever before. My husband and I are going through a difficult situation right now. We are trusting God completely, believing boldly in His grace and what He is going to do, what He is doing. We feel assured that a positive outcome is on the way, but it’s not easy in the meantime.

 I believe we are in the making of a faith story. Right now I’m only journaling about it. But assuming Jesus tarries and He spares me, I wouldn’t be surprised if one day there’s a book. Maybe God will use it to feed others; His stories seem to work that way.

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Susan Barclay maintains a website and currently blogs infrequently at www.susan-barclay.blogspot.com

I Can See (More) Clearly Now - Marnie Pohlmann

The saying "Hindsight is always 20/20" may not be true if we don't take the time to look back for the lessons the past can teach us.

I admit there are things in my past I do not enjoy looking back to. I have needed to look back at past pain to heal my damaged emotions and self-concept. The exercise is not pleasant, yet it is necessary and may be necessary again in the coming months so I can see more clearly.

I have tried looking only at good memories, or fun stories my siblings have told, yet I cannot help but see the painful memories that bookend those times. These dark moments are part of my life and part of what has molded who I am today. However, the light of God's presence is also part of my life and who I am. Of course, this truth I didn't see at the time, but as I look back, I can see more clearly now.

As a little girl, I was afraid of the shadows that came out at night when the house went silent. The comfort of a small bookmark with a shining cross pinned to my wall, I can see now, was letting me know that even though what I feared still approached, God was hiding my face in His chest. God was present in my darkness, connecting with me. (This is the inspiration for my blog, Phosphorescent.)

A few years later at Bible camp, God revealed Himself to me in a new way.  I understood what was happening in my dysfunctional Christian home may continue, but God would be with me if I wanted Him to be. I said, "Yes, please," and invited Jesus into my heart. God was connecting to me amid life’s confusion.

As a teen, I was making plans to run away from home. Before I could run, my parents took my younger brother and me from BC to Ontario to visit some of my brothers. I took the opportunity to get a job and stay in Ontario, sharing an apartment with my brothers while I finished high school. The unwritten rule of the apartment was that if I was not at school or work, I was at church. I joined in youth events that included memorizing Scripture and writing for contests. God was directing my path, connecting with me.

As a young married lady, I learned to drink coffee - and liquor. We played slow-pitch with a partying group of friends and went to the bar to drink and dance. It seemed that every time we were at a party the song "Spirit in the Sky" would be played. This song is not about God, yet never failed to remind me that the Spirit, God, was in the bar, disappointed but not judgmental, just letting me know He was with me. Even in drunkenness, God connected with me.

Eventually, God caught my attention more fully, and then that of my husband. In many ways, God directed our paths as we healed in one town, grew in faith in another town, and finally went to train at Bible School in a city. The whole story is too long to go into here, but God changed our focus from Chaplaincy to Pastoring. God led us to our small church in northern British Columbia where we had desired to live even in our partying days. We were unaware of the church until God introduced us to it through non-believing friends! God continued to connect with me in unique ways He knew would reach my heart.

I see more clearly now when God connects with me. For example, God used my husband's favourite song, "It is Well with My Soul" to assure me in a frightful situation that it was well with my soul because God was with me.

 In 2013 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I had surgery and radiation, and was prescribed Tamoxifen for the next 5 years. Over the next 2 years, I had more surgeries for cancer concerns that turned out to be benign. In 2016 when another cancer concern came up I chose to have a bilateral mastectomy to put an end to surgery.

During those years I had also developed Seasonal Affective Disorder;

I began experiencing symptoms of secondary Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from my job, which was compounded with the resumption of PTSD triggered by my childhood;

I felt medications I was taking, especially the Tamoxifen, were contributing to my depression and anxiety; 

During my mastectomy, my husband found out he was quite ill and months later was diagnosed with lymphoma so needed chemo - before and during his treatments complications brought him close to death several times;

As a Federal employee throughout all this, I was caught up in the "Phoenix fiasco" that continues to affect the pay of thousands of government workers.

Wally is presently doing well, and physically I am as also. I still struggle with mental health issues though and continue to reach out for help. I can see (more) clearly now, some of the ways God has connected with me through this dark time - and they are amazing! I will write about them all at some point, but this post is already longer than it should be.

Have you taken the time to look back, no matter how difficult, to see when God has connected with you? Perhaps as believers, we see this more clearly, but unbelievers can also become aware of God's presence in their past and present. He is never far away. Seeing God gives hope for the future. God reveals Himself in ways that are uniquely meaningful to each one of us.

God wants to connect with you.

*photos compliments of CCO license, Pexels.com and Pixabay.com

Marnie writes to show God is present, and that makes all the difference. 

You can connect with Marnie at Phosphorescent.

I Know Who Holds Tomorrow by Terrie Lynne

2015 is shaping up to be a busy and exciting year as my husband and I are planing the building of a new home. But, I have to admit with the uncertainty of our economy, the war on terror, and simply dealing with the reality that my husband and I are getting older, I've wondered if now is the time to be taking on such a large task! What if the world, as we know it, ends tomorrow !
Even when I may, at times, stew and fret over the trials and tribulation of life and the uncertainties of the world situation I can find comfort in knowing that my Heavenly Dad, who is my rock, is not in heaven biting his nails, pensively pacing back and forth, wondering what on earth is going to happen next!  He knows the beginning from the end. He is in control. He is the Creator of the universe and you can't get any bigger than that! But, even though He is all powerful and majestic, He meets us where we are at in our present day situations. I believe He shares in our joys and sorrows. He is our confidant and constant companion in uncertain times, and He promises to never leave us nor forsake us. Believing this gives my husband and I the confidence we need to continue on with our plans and hopes for the future.
We may not know what tomorrow holds but we know who holds tomorrow.

 

 

 

Clipart by Bing

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You Don't Know What You've Got Till It's Gone... Tracy Krauss

Joni Mitchell is singing those lyrics in my head right now. It’s a common saying and one that rings true.

I just got my cast off a few days ago after having broken my ankle over seven weeks ago. Believe me, it was one thing I was very glad to lose! I had only been in my basement three times in the whole seven weeks. I have now decided to set up ‘shop’ down there (so to speak) just because I can. I’ve got my laptop, a comfy chair, and a bathroom close by. What more could I want?

Losing one’s mobility can be a challenge. The simplest tasks suddenly become impossible. (Like carrying your coffee to your favorite armchair…) It’s made me stop and think about how fortunate I am in light of what other people have to go through, sometimes for a lifetime.

I am reminded about an ordeal I faced back in 2008. I had eye surgery that had me off work for five months, and left me blind for two. I learned to do a lot of things differently, (like knit by feel) and actually appreciated the slower pace that I was forced to adopt. I had more time for prayer and reflection and I think I grew as a Christian because of it.

When my sight started to return, a friend helped me set up my computer using the ‘accessibility options’ for the visually impaired. I had missed writing so much and really wanted to figure out a way to get back to it. (I had continued journaling, but believe me, it is interesting trying to read what I wrote!) I started off with just a half hour at a time since the light bothered my eyes. The letters were so large that there were no more than twenty words on the screen at a time. Still, I persevered, and finished the last few chapters of a manuscript that I had been working on previous to the surgery. That manuscript became AND THE BEAT GOES ON, the first novel I contracted with a publisher a few months later.

When I look back at that time, I wonder at how I managed. Sometimes we don’t know the depth of our own tenacity until put to the test. I believe that God gives each of us supernatural strength beyond our own whenever we are asked to face situations that are too hard for us. It’s easy to forget those lessons when life goes back to normal, and to forget the One who pulled us through. It is my prayer that we will not take life for granted, but erect a memorial of remembrance to God for each of the times that he has been with us through difficult circumstances.

Dark Passage - Linda Aleta Tame

I AM Here

It seemed impossible.  A strong, active believer faltering in her faith?  I knew it could never happen to me, and doubted it could happen to anyone who was genuinely filled with the Holy Spirit.  How would anyone ever part with the beauty of His presence, the incredible joy of intimacy with Him?  Certainly it would never happen by choice.

Now I know it can and does happen.  It's a subtle seduction, more often the result of many smaller choices than of one specific choice.

Proverbs 4:23 says,  "Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it."

1 Corinthians 16:13 says, "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong."

These verses make clear the necessity of guarding our hearts and standing firm.  They should give us cause to realize that it's entirely possible to block the flow of the Spirit in our lives, simply by neglecting to guard our hearts.  Of course He never leaves us, but our ability to sense His presence is diminished.  When this happened to me, I felt lost and alone; so opposite from found and together with Him.

As difficult as it was, my dark passage was a significant spiritual process.  I regret I didn't handle it  by trusting.  I didn't guard my heart or stand firm in my faith.  I began making choices that I would never otherwise make, choices that only deepened the shadows.  Everything seemed bleak, dark and cold.  Where was the Holy Spirit?

He was there all the time, waiting for me to come into the revelation I needed to have.  I now realize the necessity of "the dark passage."  I have come through, and I see now that my faith needed strengthening.  I know too, that as much as I trust my heavenly Father, I need to take the responsibility of guarding my heart and standing firm in my faith. 

It took Mary and Joseph one day to discover Jesus wasn't with them, but it took three days to find him.  It didn't take long for me to discover the perceived absence of the Spirit in my life, but the journey to restoration has taken time. It was a hard lesson, and a long one.  Six years, but I'm grateful.