Tag: #love

Saved Soul Counter

Posted on by jonithetentmaker

In Romans 1:25, we are told, “I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, so that you may not be conceited; Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full numbers of the Gentiles have come in.”

Well, that is a mystery, or is it?

 What is God saying to us? If we break down the passage, we know Israel represents the Jewish people, and the Gentiles represent us, the Christians. We know Israel has endured some tough times since her birth as a nation and will continue until the new earth. A few known facts.  

Now, the phrase “the full numbers of the Gentiles” usually refers to the fullness of the Gentiles or our saved souls. The number of people worldwide who have committed their lives to Jesus Christ being their Lord and Savior. So, it appears God has an exact number of saved souls in mind before He sends Jesus halfway to earth in a cloud to take His Church, us, up to heaven. Since the bible tells us that only God knows when Jesus shall return for His Church, there is no sense in trying to guess.

But wouldn’t it be amazing if there was a Saved Soul counter in heaven similar to our United States debt counter? As the numbers roll, those in heaven could watch the counter and then look to God to see if He motions for Jesus. If I were in heaven, I would be cheering the people of the world, below, onward to saving souls.  

Chanting,

“Save those souls!”

“Save those souls!”

Then I will glance over at God, and if He does not motion to Jesus, I will have to start all over again.

My excitement for the rapture of the Church and what it will signal for Jews and Gentiles is like the excitement of a child anticipating a very special present. You see, for a very long time, I have not felt at home here on earth. My soul knows that I belong somewhere else and to someone else. And I have been known to get lost in my daydreams as I observe a daytime clear blue sky with white fluffy clouds passing overhead. For in my mind, I am in another dimension of space and time unknown to this world. And the peace that fills my soul is unexplainable in this dimension and time.  

So, what do you say that we get busy saving some souls? The first part is, have you been saved? If not, there is no time like the present to get things done. Who knows, you may be the one God is waiting for before He sends Jesus back! Your place in history can be cemented as “the” saved soul who began a new time for humanity! Just think about it! And if you happen to be saved, be sure to check on others you know. They might require an introduction to Jesus from you!

God Bless You!

How Are You Doing?

Posted on by jonithetentmaker

How are you doing? Have you taken your temperature lately? Sometimes during a hurried life, not to mention a pandemic and the craziness of 2020, we forget to stop and breathe deeply. So, right now, you are not to move, think, or do any other action than to breathe. Can you do that for a few minutes?

Doesn’t it feel so cleansing to your soul, to take deep breaths with your eyes closed and maybe your head lying back? When I do it, I turn off all sounds within my control, like the tv, so that there is nothing to distract my attention for those few minutes. I can feel my body appreciating the new, clean oxygen, along with the momentary silence.

If I don’t take the time to breathe consciously, I begin to move like a freight train throughout my day. Before I know it, I am flying on an out of control physical and mental railway, barely hugging the curves and leaving sparks flying behind me. Ouch! What a way to start a fire! My responses become hurried and short, my movements are quick and jerky, and my attitude is cloudy with grumpiness. Why? Because I want to get it all done and solve all the problems. And what for? I am not happier. I do not have a little more money, nor have I won a Pulitzer Prize.

So this Christmas season, it was time for a conscious change to our holiday routines and traditions. First, it began because I am having major surgery in the middle of December to correct complications to my facial structure caused by Wegener’s disease. The recovery will be a long one, well into after the New Year. My husband and son will be responsible for packing up and putting away the decorations inside and out. Now, we are a family team. We put the decorations up together and take them down together, it is not a one-sided event, but they will have one less teammate. And this teammate is going to require them to care for her also. My plan of simplifying Christmas went into action.

The first decoration to go up was our family Christmas tree with the family ornaments and my mom’s nativity scene. No little trees, greenery up and down the stairs and over the doorways, knickknacks, jingle bells, villages, dancing Santas, snowmen, and bathroom decanters. Next, we adorned our front door with one lighted green wreath, and that is the total sum of our outdoor decorations. We are leaving us plenty of time to focus on family and the real reason for Christmas! Of course, I still have one “bucket list” Christmas to do, but it won’t be this year. That will be the Christmas when I decorate to the max and outdo the house in Christmas Vacation! Does anyone want some cat kibble jello? But that is for another Christmas and with the help of the grandkids!

After all, is said and done, I feel so good! I don’t feel like I am missing out on anything! We even took it one step farther with gift-giving. The grandkids will get their usual gift from us grandparents, which is part of my own enjoyment. Everyone else gets a 2020 ornament representing them or this crazy year for their tree. The ornament should cost between $10 – $15 or cheaper. Talk about a pressure release!

We even decided to keep the gift idea for future Christmases and spend the extra money we save on those in need. That is one-holiday tradition I miss terribly, going out feeding and helping others. Doing it through online contributions feels cold to me, even though I know it is helpful. I love hugging others, spreading hope, and feeling useful in their circumstances. It speaks to my inner problem-solver persona. Hopefully, next year will be different.

Now my train has slowed to a lyrical clickity-clack, and my oxygen meter is reading 100%. Not bad! Not bad at all!

How is your train running? Is it time for you to step back, take some deep breaths, and do away with overdoing? Enjoy your holiday moments, don’t worry if the decor or the food is not perfect! Spend time, even if it has to be virtual, with family and friends. Laugh, praise God for your blessings. And love that you are here, now, in this place.

God Bless You!

God Loves You So Much, that He Wants to be The Navigator of Your Life!

Posted on by jonithetentmaker

Try to think back to when there were no cell phones, no Garmins, or any other technological advances that appear to make our lives easier.  Some of you may not be able to do that since you were not born then.  But imagine you need directions, instead of your phone, you have to pull out a map, a compass, and know the streets you will be driving down.  Now my dad was great at directions, and he tried to explain to me how most cities were designed using the North, South, East, and West compass points to plan their streets.  He could go anywhere, any town, or city and find his way.  For me, it was a little different.  I am a landmark person.  Tell me to take a left at the library or Chick-Fil-A, and I am okay. And if you want to give me an idea about the location, tell me it is near the Arboretum or the NRC stadium, depending on where I am traveling.

We all have different ways to navigate our lives each day, and it is akin to the way we learn and adapt.  If you are going through a stressful, uncertain period of life, sometimes our navigation signals get all out of sync, and we wind up confused and depressed.  COVID has brought about many of these situations to us and the world, creating extreme loneliness, lovelessness, and depression.  I believe COVID did shine a very bright spotlight on our problems, and it will not allow us to sweep them back into their dark crevices, nor will it go away until we develop a vaccine while finding a different way to thrive with one another.  That is why some marriages are crumbling, and some are not, some people are successfully flourishing, and some are barely surviving.

I do have what I deem as valuable suggestions to help the sunshine a little more each day in your life.  Remember, sunlight is not just light; it is also warm and soothing made by our Creator to warm us when we are cold.

Start by putting God back into the center of your life, your home, and your work environment by reading the best navigational book for life, The Bible.  God loves you and wants you to live a life following His plan for you. He wants to be the lead Navigator steering you through the rough waters and languishing with you when it is smooth sailing. The only way to do that is to read His word and understand His truth.  Never depend on anyone else, not even a religious leader, to tell you what the bible says or does not say.  Read God’s words and press them into your skin, into your soul, like clothes covering your body.

Next is laughter, and laughing is great for the soul! It shakes our bodies around and up and down, helping to break free of those icy chains that grip us. Start your day by finding jokes or cartoons and have a good belly laugh to start your day.  Don’t forget to sing and dance too each day; this way, you exercise your heart, body, and vocal cords!  I love to go around my house singing and dancing, and I  sound like the singer that I am listening to, with my headphones on my ears. Of course, those listening have a totally different opinion.

And know God loves you by reading this paraphrase of  1 Corinthians 13: 4-8.  I found it in Barbara Johnson’s book “Stick a Geranium in Your Hat and Be Happy.”  If anyone knew tragedy multiple times over and overcoming them, it was Barbara.  Her joy, love for the Lord, and faith in God are still infectious today.  Barbara is in glory now with the Lord, but her books live on!  Read this paraphrase morning and night for one month, and I know you will find strength and purpose in God’s love for you! And you might even turn over the navigation to your life to Him!

Because God Loves Me, He is slow to lose patience with me.

Because God Loves Me, He takes the circumstances of my life and uses them in a constructive way for my growth.

Because God Love Me,  He is for me. He wants to see me mature and develop in His love.

Because God Loves Me, He does not send down His wrath on every little mistake I make, of which there are many.

Because God Loves Me, He does not keep score of all my sins and then beat me over the head with them whenever He gets a chance.

Because God Loves Me, He is deeply grieved when I do not walk in the ways that please Him because He sees this as evidence that I don’t trust Him and love Him as I should.

Because God Loves Me, He keeps on trusting me when at times I don’t even trust myself.

Because God Loves Me, He never says there is no hope for me; rather He patiently works with me, loves me and disciplines me in such a way that it is hard for me to understand the depth of His concern for me.

Because God Loves Me, He never forsakes me even though many of my friends might.

Because God Loves Me, He stands with me when I have reached the rock bottom of despair, when I see the real me and compare that with His righteousness, holiness, beauty, and love.

It is at a moment like this that I can really believe that God loves me.

Yes, the greatest of all gifts is God’s perfect love.

Source Unknown

God Bless You!