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Do you ever have one of those moments where you feel like God is putting something on your mind, and then He confirms it in a way that gets your attention so much that it changes your physical posture? Last night I was thinking it would be interesting if palm trees are mentioned in the book of Psalms and that since the words look alike and sound alike, it would make for an interesting post and play on words. That's as far as it went in my mind, then I went to finish some laundry and get settled for bed. Then . . . . this morning I had my quiet time (which is golden if you often have a loud household) and opened up for today's reading, the 24th of April. This New Living Translation of The One Year Bible always has a portion of the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs in each daily reading, so imagine my how my mouth dropped when I got down to the bottom of the page, verse 12 of Psalms, after reading the OT and the NT parts.  Psalms 92:12-15 But the godly will flourish like the palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon. For they are transplanted into the Lord's own house. They flourish in the courts of our God. Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green. They will declare, "The Lord is just! He is my rock! There is nothing but goodness in him!" After reading those words, I thought, Okay, I really need to post this today, it is too much of a coincidence that I am reading this after what I had been thinking last night. Then my thoughts went to what pictures to use. The only palm tree pictures that I could easily access for this quick post where from our spring break trip to Charleston, South Carolina where Scott, pictured below, is sounding the shofar at the Ravenel Bridge.   Just an hour later, I captured this shot off of East Bay Street down from Rainbow Row. I had never seen the clouds looking like fingers coming down towards the water or any surface for that matter. I used this picture of the palm tree and cropped and lightened it for the first picture used in this post.  Hope this encourages someone to dive in deep with God and let Him have your full attention.
Love, Christina Stay humble & be BOLD! "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Psalm 119:105 (ASV) To check out my testimony click here To like my facebook page click here Find me on twitter @humble_bold On Pinterest at humble&BOLD by Christina Contact me at [email protected]
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"Hey, how are you?" my childhood friend, Laura, cautiously asked. She had called from our hometown of Birmingham to check in on my progress as I was recovering from a an eight and a half hour cancer surgery at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. It's called The Sugarbaker Procedure, which involved the full removal of my spleen, appendix, uterus, cervix, both ovaries/tubes, omentum, ileum, right colon, part of small intestine and pancreas and here's the part where I feel like I should start singing AND . . . . a par . . tridge in a pear . . tree! It ended with a grand finale of a hot chemo wash in my abdominal cavity, and I spent two weeks on the ninth floor of Emory Hospital physically recovering, while undergoing a spiritual and a mental makeover as well. "There was an interesting article in The Birmingham News about the type of surgery you just had, but don't read it!" It was so good to hear her voice and then she, like a good friend, said something that made me laugh out loud, which came with a jolt of pain like a dog shock collar (I'm guessing), but made me smile big anyways. She said. "There was an interesting article in The Birmingham News about the type of surgery you just had, but don't read it!" This instantly gave me a flashback of when she told me how great the movie Beaches was, with a strict warning not to see it. This instruction was to protect me from having an emotional breakdown after my mother's passing of breast cancer in 1989. (Okay, for you younger folks, Beaches was a movie that came out in the year 1988 with Bette Milder, Barbara Hershey and a young child actress, Mayim Bialik, nowadays recognized from The Big Bang Theory.) Anyhoo, she was right, but did I listen? Noooo! I thought to myself, I can handle it. Sweet movie, but didn't see the rest of it because my eyes were almost swollen shut from crying so hard. The kind of crying where my head hurt along with my neck and chest. I later confessed to her, "You were right, I should have listened." "You were right, I should have listened." Several friends and family members also told us the same the thing about the article. "Great article, really gives a lot of detail and explanation, very interesting, BUT don't read it! Here, we saved you a copy." Ah, laughter is indeed good medicine! So, from time to time I would glance at the article below, start to read a paragraph, wince, look away and think, Okay, I not ready. I carefully placed it back in the drawer and walked away.  Then one day, around six months post op, I pulled a Beaches. I thought, I can handle it. Great article, really gave a lot of detail and explanation and was very interesting, but could hardly swallow as I got close to the end, especially the part where it mentions the survival rates being just five years (for only 50% of patients) after having the Sugarbaker Procedure, which was up from a survival rate of only one year with conventional therapies. Took me less than sixty seconds to call my brother, who had just graduated from medical school, to ask what the doctors had told him and my family about my chances. He was very reassuring and so was my husband and father, who had also given their accounts of what my doctors had communicated with them. They thought my chances were good, they thought, they hoped. Then I remembered! I remembered all that God had done. I remembered the prayers prayed over me. I remembered how excited I was when I first walked into my surgeon's office and saw this writing on the wall down at The Winship Cancer Center at Emory. Then I remembered! I remembered all that God had done.  I remembered how several days after my surgery, I called out to God in severe pain and desperation in middle of the night. I told Him how I needed to feel His presence and know that He was with me. Without pushing the call button, a nurse came in my room and asked if there was anything she could do for me. Crying, I said, "Could you pray over me?" It was all I could think to say. She placed her right hand gently on my shoulder and lifted her other hand up in the air and prayed with such a sincere, heartfelt voice to the Lord on my behalf. She prayed earnestly with boldness, love and authority. Tears ran down my face as I knew God was confirming that He had heard my call. She prayed earnestly with boldness, love and authority! As the nursing shift was changing out for the morning. Rena, a Christian nurse from India, asked me how my morning was. (We had talked before when she helped me stand for the first time with Scott. She told us that when she was growing up in India, there was a Missionary couple who had come to share the gospel with several families in the area. She said her family was one of the blessed families and talked of how those Missionaries gave up a lot to minister to them and others in their area.) I told her about how I felt scared and was hurting and called out to God. Then I told her about the night shift nurse that came in and prayed over me at my request. Rena had the biggest smile on her face and laughingly said that God definitely heard my prayer. She said Kemi, the night shift nurse, was an anointed minister and had written a book on prayer. I smiled from ear to ear just hearing that. That morning a young student nurse walked into my room and introduced herself. (I wish I could remember her name) She said that she was assigned to me and could help me with whatever I needed. That turned out to be a huge blessing because the physical therapist was unable to come work with me on walking that day. This sweet student walked with me and we had some great conversations throughout the day. Her mother was at MD Anderson as a cancer patient and as soon as her nursing exams were over, she planned to be with her mom. I told her what happened that morning with Kemi. She responded, "You know, I prayed this morning that God would put me with the right patient and He has. I know that God has put us together today to encourage each other!" Indeed He had. I told my husband and family about Kemi. She never bragged or told me about her book, but I wanted a copy and so did several of my family members. The best thing about her book, was it just kept pointing my focus back to God and His Word. The book is titled Molding Your World Through Prayers by Kemi Oluwakoya. I kept her book close to my bedside and would read it especially when I felt challenged, which was quite a lot.  As I learned to walk the hallways with drain tubes and bags hooked to a walker and pushing an iv pole, I thought about Christ carrying the cross and that He willing went through so much suffering for all of us. I became overwhelmed with what a loving God we serve. I didn't want to walk the hallways, every step was painful and my throat would dry up to the point I couldn't swallow. I had to go eight days with no food (which was fine because food in no way appealed to me) or water, which was the hardest mentally and physically. Yet I had the support of family, friends and nurses, doctors and techs. No one was mocking me as I walked, cheering on my execution or spitting at me. It was on my mind a lot that God relates to our sufferings way more than we can imagine or think. God relates to our sufferings more than we can imagine or think. There were many more God stories that happened during my recovery and in the past two years. As I have gotten back into the everyday grind, I realize the importance of what one decides to focus on in life. When Peter stepped out of the boat, he looked at his surroundings and started to sink, but when he got his focus back on Jesus, he was fine. So Laura, you were right! There are things I don't need to watch or read. Most importantly, there is someone Whom I need to look to and keep my eyes on at all times and His name is Jesus. "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." Philippians 4:4-8 As I got into His word today on the two year anniversary of my surgery, I noticed many wonderful things. One thing in particular was the word humble. The words humble and bold had been on my mind ever since my surgery and I thought it pretty cool that the reading for today's date, April 16th, of The One Year Bible had scripture with the words, humbled and humble on the same page as the date of my surgery. God is so awesome!  Psalms 121:2-8
My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. So again, Laura, you were right! There are things I don't need to watch or read. Most importantly, there is someone Whom I need to look to and keep my eyes on at all times. and His name is Jesus. With love, Christina Stay humble & BOLD! "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Psalm 119:105 To check out my testimony click here Let's get connected! Instagram @humbleandbold Facebook Humble & Bold Twitter Christina @humble_bold Pinterest humble&BOLD by Christina Youtube Humble & Bold The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. - Psalm 19:1 Five years ago we watched Rick Larson’s The Star of Bethlehem and I found myself overwhelmed by the discoveries revealed in the heavens that lined up directly with detailed descriptions in the Bible. Like many others, I had heard about and read the story of the wise men making a long journey from the east to visit Jesus as a young child, but I never really considered how they knew to be looking for such an event in the sky. Even more outstanding is that they were looking for a child who would be The King of all kings. After reading the entire Bible over seven times now, I find that God reveals more and more of Himself to those who seek Him. I will from time to time recommend other books but The Holy Bible is the book to read and study above all others. I found watching Rick Larson explain what he learned during his research extremely useful in understanding more of what the scriptures are revealing. There is a reason it is called the Living Word. Jump ahead to today where there is talk of the Tetrad (four) Blood Moons and the total solar eclipse and how they fall on significant dates according to Jewish calendar. The picture below is a snapshot of the BBC video from BBC One and posted on facebook March 20, 2015, the day the world witnessed this total solar eclipse on the Jewish New Year. They refer to this moment of the eclipse as the diamond ring, which to me looks like the most beautiful engagement ring for a soon to be bride.  I am writing this post today, which marks the one year passing of my grandmother, Helen, who loved discussing the things of God. She passed away last year on Palm Sunday, her body was prepared while Passover and a blood moon occurred on 04/14/14 and her body was laid to rest on April 16th, the one year anniversary of my cancer surgery. As an amazing prayer warrior, who had been praying for my full recovery and healing, and who loved studying the Jewish roots of Christianity, she would have loved the significance of those special dates surrounding her death. After falling on a Friday, she told her children that she was going home to be with Jesus. It was a shock to all of her family because it seemed she would continue to live, this time in assisting living, rather than independent. A close friend of ours, Mike, had just written two books with his research findings of what to look for in the skies through 2021. I was going to send her these books for Easter last year but something told me to mail them to her sooner. They got sent to the wrong address, because I had mistakenly written down the wrong zip code, but that was a blessing because we had extra phone conversations in trying to locate the books. I cherish those added minutes I got to spend with her over the phone. On our last conversation, she had called to tell me that she loved his first book, Isaiah - In Effect and was just starting on the second. As we cleaned out her apartment, I found Mike’s book, The Sign of The Son (pictured below) with a bookmark placed halfway through the book. Ironically, it has a picture (on page 58) of the Passover Blood Moon right after Palm Sunday of 2014, the year she passed.  Pastor Mark Blitz has done extensive research on the Four Blood Moons and our friend, Mike Spidle has done further research on what to look for in the sky, from 2014 – 2021. Beyond just fascination and interest, these findings cause one to deeply ponder what God is communicating to mankind about His soon return. To investigate further, you can check out www.SignoftheSon.com  This past Holy Week of 2015 was very significant and meaningful for our family. Upon returning home from a praise and worship gathering we saw the soon to be, blood moon over the cross (given to us by my grandmother) in our front yard as Passover had begun that evening at sunset.  As I marveled at the majestic moon hanging over the cross, I attempted to take some pictures and was in complete awe of what looked like a crown around the moon, as Christians all over the world were giving thanks to God for Good Friday, when Christ died for the sins of the world while wearing a crown of thorns.  I went out early the next morning to see if I could spot the blood moon but was unable to get a glimpse because of the clouds. Was happy to find this beautiful picture from Japan, courtesy of Time.com. Love how the moon reflects the light off of the sun and gives us a comforting "nightlight" during bedtime. According to Merriam Webster's online dictionary, one of the meanings of reflection is something that shows the effect, existence, or character of something else. Just like a mirror reflects back our own image and shows us what adjustments to make, I see where God's word reflects back the nature of my own heart and shows me the places where I need to repent. When I look at the reflections of the moon, I see a Creator who is communicating to us all, if we are willing to receive it.  The following night my husband’s ministry www.shofaroutreach.org was invited by The Hub Atlanta to come down to the CNN Center Atrium for a prayer meeting and to sound the shofar. This event was planned before hearing the news of the massacre of Christian students in Kenya and also happened to fall on the same day there was an agreement on an outline for a nuclear deal with Iran. An outline that Israel was not happy with, on Passover and on the third Blood Moon of this year.  "And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." Luke 21:25-28 (The red letters indicate the words spoken by Jesus, the one whom the wise men came to see.)
So what does all this mean for you and me? Just as the wise men were looking for the first coming of The King, we should be wise ourselves. Jesus said that we would not know the day or the hour, but we would know the times. The parable He gives of the ten virgins in Matthew 25 is one to pay close and careful attention to. "Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, 'Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise answered, saying, 'Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.' And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.' But he answered, 'Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.' Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour." According to Psalm 119:105, the Lamp would be God's Word. What my husband noticed after he was baptized was that the words of the Bible started to come alive as he opened up his Bible and started reading. We both have experience burn out when we have tried doing things in our own strength instead of relying on the Holy Spirit, which is what I believe Jesus is warning us about in keeping our lamps full of oil. Enjoy this short interview of Dr. Mark Rutland discussing what it's like having the Word without the Spirit while he was a pastor. With love, Christina Stay humble & BOLD! And keep those lamps full! "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Psalm 119:105 To check out my testimony click here To like my facebook page click here Find me on twitter @humble_bold On Pinterest at humble&BOLD by Christina |
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