I Know that I Know - Tracy Krauss

What a joy it has been to read how the precious Holy Spirit has led others in their writing and faith. For me, the topic is almost too BIG! How can I share what the Holy Spirit has done for me; has meant to me? Since giving my heart to Christ back in 1982, I have felt God's presence. When I finally surrendered and gave my life to Jesus, something overcame me and I KNEW THAT I KNEW. That, to me, was the Holy Spirit at work. He is the intangible part of the trinity. We can't always explain His working except to say, "I know He is there." 

I was a young adult back then, still in university in Saskatoon, and not yet married. Somehow, God reached across the miles and touched my boyfriend who was working away in Churchill, Manitoba. (We had been together for a couple of years already.) He became a believer a few months after I did, and we decided to get married. (He proposed over the phone...!) 

Like most people, I've experienced many ups and downs. I've experienced miraculous answers to prayer. I've also had some very dark and difficult times. I can honestly say, however, that I have never felt abandoned. It is often through those darkest times that I've felt submerged in God's presence. 

John 14: 16 - 18

And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. (NIV - emphasis mine) 

Through untimely deaths, watching loved ones struggle with addiction, and so much more, the Holy Spirit has given me comfort and confidence that He has not abandoned me or my loved ones. Sometimes it is through scripture, seemingly picked for that exact circumstance. Sometimes it is through the encouragement of a friend in an unexpected text or phone call. Sometimes it is during a worship service or even at home while listening to music. Sometimes it is during prayer or even tears. Sometimes it is nothing other than that KNOWING... I think the key is allowing oneself to be open to His moving.

As a writer, I've also tried my best to follow His direction when it comes to my writing. Despite rejection and discouragement, I've never wavered in writing what I believe I am called to write. (Okay, maybe I've questioned myself a time or two, but it rarely lasts more than a few minutes...) Some may question my choices, but ultimately I must answer to God.  

Luke 12: 12

"...for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”(NIV)

Tracy Krauss writes from her home in Northern BC. Visit her website for more: tracykrauss.com - fiction on the edge without crossing the line -

Not Alone in Our Tears by Alan Anderson

 

I pondered this blog post for days before thoughts moved on to the page. The chaplain in me could not shake a certain part of life going through my mind therefore I decided to write the following.

 

Tears are not Wasted

 

A sad event not long ago reminded me of the brevity of life. This also reminded me  not to take life for granted. Happy anticipation may turn to crushed plans and the flow of tears. Hugs, cuddles, and kisses looked forward to now replaced by seemed never ending tears.

 

Dear writer and reader friends how are you really doing in your life right now? What impact has the Covid pandemic had on you? Think about this illness and how it has acted like an indiscriminate psychopath. Tears may have fallen as an expression of what this has meant to you. 

 

Perhaps another event or experience entered your life and rattled you. You are faced with a decision to give in to the sharp blade of despair. The other choice is to throw oneself on the mercy, the comfort, the help of God. 

 

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever” John 14:16—NIV 

 

God Knows Our Tears

 

"Record my misery; list my tears on your scroll — are they not in your record?”—Psalm 56:8 NIV.

 

My friends, perhaps in your not-too-distant past you shed tears over your lot in life. In the day-to-day activities in life tears may have grabbed you by the throat as if to choke you. Guess what? God knows all about your tears. 

 

There are times my words are tears. They pour on to the page to reach out and hug those who read them, to hold them, to help their souls. Each tear and word have meaning. They are not thrown on a scrap heap in life, and neither are we. God sees our tears and collects them. He does not dismiss them and does not dismiss us. Our tears are not wasted. 

 

Time for a Deep Breath

 

If you are anything like me you are ready for a deep breath in life, so to speak. Often over the past couple of years people have indicated they are tired of the added burdens the pandemic has brought to them. Constant burdens and feeling tired can stifle one. We need time to breathe, to take a break and dry our tears. 

 

Church

Spending time with God’s people in church helps me take a break from the rest of life. The partaking of the Eucharist, Holy Communion, is the central reason we gather as believers in church. As an Orthodox Christian receiving the eucharist on a weekly basis helps ground one in the faith. The believers we gather with, the prayers, the hymns, the icons, all encourage us to live and help each other in life. 

 

Nature

Nature also helps me take a deep breath. Nature is like God’s blanket to soothe our exhausted emotions. I love spring and these days the trees are dressing in their finest green. Daffodils and tulips poke their heads through the warm topsoil to say hello. Hummingbirds return and zoom around like tiny rockets. The time for warm spring walks is here. A time to hold each other’s hands. A time to breathe in the comfort of God and be thankful for His help. 

 

“So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”—Hebrews 13:6.

 

Dear heart, you are not alone in your tears.

 

 

Alan lives in Deroche, B.C. with his wife, Terry. He contributed stories to Good Grief People by Angel Hope Publishing, 2017; Story by Story: The Power of a Writer, Unstoppable Writers Publishing, 2018; Easter Stories & More by InScribe Christian Writers’ Fellowship, 2021. Alan periodically writes articles for FellowScript Magazine. He has written posts for our InScribe blog since 2015. Blog: https://scarredjoy.ca.

God's Open Doors by Carol Harrison

I am a writer, a speaker, and a storyteller but I never planned for those to be part of my life. God had other ideas. His plans and mine didn’t match up. As I look back, I can see His leading even when I stubbornly insisted, I wasn’t a writer and there’s no way I could speak or teach anyone but young children. Teenagers terrified me and adults – well what did I know to teach them or so I thought.

God nudged me out of that comfort zone a little bit at a time. Even when I felt inadequate as a young wife and mother to substitute in an adult Sunday School class, I found out begging God and tears didn’t get me out of the assignment. He just promised to be there with me and He was.

Writing had been put in the back of the closet and buried where no one else could read it or even know I had enjoyed it at one time. I convinced myself I couldn’t write, shouldn’t write, and so why bother even talking or thinking about it anymore. Yet the pen and paper beckoned me. I journaled for myself with no plans to allow anything I wrote to be read by others. But God had other plans with that aspect of my life as well.

Years after reluctantly teaching that adult Sunday School class, the pastor’s wife of the church we then attended asked me to lead a mid-week ladies Bible study group at the church. She felt confident I was the person for the job. I think she had enough confidence for both of us as I hesitantly said yes. I enjoyed the study times and became more comfortable with that small group of ladies. God put a love for women’s ministry into my heart. But I found out God wasn’t done moving me out of that box I had built for myself and gave another little nudge in the direction He wanted me to go.

I accepted an invitation to speak at a ladies ‘retreat. I knew no one. I had lots of time to study and God spoke to me through that preparation time. While I spoke at the second session, the Holy Spirit spoke so audibly to me, I felt like everyone in the room must have heard. He asked me to change my illustration and gave me the one to share. I didn’t want to change those carefully laid plans made during all the study time but I finally did. I felt vulnerable with the new illustration and yet several women approached me after to let me know if was where they were at too.

As I prepared for the evening session, the Holy Spirit spoke again. Another illustration change to my carefully crafted presentation which would leave me feeling even more vulnerable. Praying didn’t change the sense of urgency to obey. The next day a young woman came with tears streaming down her face. After I prayed with her trusting God knew her burdens, she found her voice. Through more sobs she thanked me for sharing the illustration from the night before about how God brought people into my life when I struggled with depression. 

Then she said, "I didn't think any other Christian woman ever had to go through this. I felt alone and didn't know where to go, who to talk to, or what to do."

What if I hadn't listened to that nudge, that direction from the Holy Spirit. God used that to affirm I needed to trust Him even when the plans I had didn't line up with ones He urged me toward.

A few months later, another pastor’s wife asked me about speaking at camp. Children’s ministry. How did this fit in with the love God had awakened in my heart for women’s ministry? I didn’t know or understand but I went and spoke to campers aged nine to twelve years. The cabin leaders were teenagers. God placed a love for camp ministry into my heart right along with women's ministry.

Next came the writing. I began to write again, learning all the things I had forgotten and more. Yet I needed to take the next step and share it with others. I asked God how all these things could possibly fit together. Women’s ministry, camp ministry, and writing made me feel like I must be missing something in God’s plan. Such a variety and yet everything I had listened to or read suggested to find your niche and stick with it.

Then I heard God’s voice again. “If I open the door, don’t look at the venue, the ages, or the size of the audience. Just walk through it. I’ll give you what you need for the task.”

God keeps expanding my comfort zone, showed me things He has gifted me to do, and asks for my obedience. He has given His Spirit to help accomplish the tasks He sets before me. I just need to hold my own plans loosely, show up and trust even when I know I'm still a work in progress.

 

 

Carol Harrison loves to hang out with her family and friends when she isn't writing, editing, playing with paper crafting and waiting for God to reveal the next open door to share stories and the good news of the gospel. 

 

 

The Chain by Sharon Heagy

 

        In the late 70’s I moved from Winnipeg to Saskatoon and ended up working in an office downtown. While there I met a myriad of people from many walks of life and faith. One wonderful young lady I met, Linda, was about my age and wore her faith like a cloak exuding love and kindness everywhere she went. She hadn’t been working there very long when she decided to follow what she believed was a call from God. She left Saskatchewan to go and work with the people living on East Hastings Street in Vancouver, providing needs and showing the love of God to each one. She related the story of the ‘talents’ which had stirred her heart to use the gifts that God had given her for His purposes, to further His kingdom. Before she left, she gave me a gift. A small silver dove on a chain. On the back of the dove were these words – ‘Come, Holy Spirit. Enlighten me.’

I wore that chain almost every day, the dove dangling around my neck reminding me from time to time that God loved me. It was a treasured gift, though I did not entirely understand its meaning at the time. I knew about the Holy Spirit but hadn’t yet experienced His guidance and comfort, at least not that I recognized.

Years passed and eventually I came to know Him personally. To trust his gentle guiding hand and whispered words. Though I do not know Him completely even still, I cannot imagine how I ever walked in this world without Him. He is a constant presence through joy and sorrow, through exciting days and mundane tasks. And whatever I do, including writing, I can only do with God’s hand upon me. For as Jesus said, “apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

He gifts me and enables me as I lean on Him.

He has shown us the way many times as my husband and I have farmed God’s land and had the privilege of taking care of some of His cattle. We have tried to put all things in His hands, well, most of the time.

One day when we were combining something was scratching my neck. My hand went up to brush the annoyance away but found a broken metal chain without a dove. I shook my clothes and searched the ground. I sifted dirt through my fingers but found nothing. Prayer gushed forth from my heart as I knew that God knew where the dove was. I asked Him to lead me to it as I walked and searched all that evening and the next morning. Nothing.

But then I knew. A revelation. Linda’s prayer had been answered. The Holy Spirit had enlightened me and I no longer needed a dove of remembrance for the Holy Spirit himself was inside me, always present.

My prayer began to be that someone else who needed the dove would find it. My belief is that someone prayed for Linda before she knew the Lord, just as she prayed for me. Now my prayers go up for others too, silently and through the written word. Though a physical chain was broken, a spiritual chain was built by God’s own hand, for his purposes. An eternal chain that can never be broken and continues to grow daily. Hallelujah and Amen.