Life, Death and Heaven

What an amazing weekend! Friday we attended a book club discussion with a fourth grade class and 20 adult men and women about Heaven is For Real. What beautiful insights the children had, how well they remembered every detail of Colton’s life. Sister Pam led the discussion about very tough subjects like why some children are not healed as Colton was, to which Wayne and I contributed thoughts.

The next day we spent with friends Joann and Jim in Charleston who asked us to minister to their dear friends battling cancer. Roger’s in his sixties and facing a life or death surgery in a few weeks for cancer the size of a basketball in his stomach.

Our new friends Roger and his wife Karen have had an extraordinary life. He’s a businessman, an artist, a musician, started and sold l6 successful businesses, skied almost everywhere in North America, and has traveled the world giving motivational talks and supervising the building of Christian churches. He’s survived open heart surgery and is filled with gratitude but still asking with arms wide open for God to extend his life, as he should.

While the six of us were eating dinner Joann got word that her 88-year-old Mom, Marie, died with total knowledge of Jesus and absolute surety that she was heading for heaven. I saw Joann’s mom a few months ago and she radiated Christ. Joann’s family reported that her Mom entered paradise peacefully from her sleep as she'd hoped.

We talked with Roger and Karen for about 2 ½ hours about the reality of God, His unconditional love and mercy, the delights and work in heaven and ended the evening with fervent prayer for Roger’s healing. (Roger asked us to pray for Joann and her family before we began to pray for him.) We all were very bold in our request for another 15 to 20 years for Roger just like Hezekiah in the Old Testament received.

Such sacred moments, such peace, such deep joy. There was nothing superficial about any of these conversations. An aura of confidence covered every holy moment. How I wish people could always talk so openly about what’s truly important.

None of us know the day or minute but we all know its coming. And we know our God has a plan we can place confidence in for the sleep of death and wake-up call in the divine realm. I’m more excited than ever. Until then I’ll keep talking about God and His fulfillment of purpose going on in every life surrendered to His lordship.

Love Always, Mom, subtitled How, When and Why God Heals Today is the story of our eighteen-year-old son’s successful battle with cancer. Glory to God he lives! It’s available on Kindle and Nook.

Mark 11:24 “Whatsoever you ask for in prayer, believe that you may receive.”

The Total Gift of Who You Are

I had lunch with Sarah Flashing a while back. She’s sort of a cultural watchdog as Director of The Center for Women of Faith in Culture. She shares my concern for females in 2012 that are being led to believe media lies about what will bring true happiness in life. I rarely see TV and movies motivating and equipping young women to live meaningful, satisfying and holy lives.

I emphasize holy – we don’t hear the word used much nowadays. Growing up I desired to be holy – perhaps it was reading the lives of the saints that inspired me. Now it seems girls and guys, too, focus on being popular and clever, more than questing for qualities like holiness and goodness.

I’m putting on my counseling cape to sound a warning. I’ve seen the tears and devastation when young men and women didn’t get genuine wisdom soon enough. Both sexes are bombarded with role models who disregard a holy lifestyle.

Careful grooming, laughter, dancing and dreaming, special friendships with guys/gals are all great. BUT what’s with this sex-texting and male/female friendship with “benefits” which diminishes both the giver and the receiver – sex outside the special bond of marital commitment is physical, emotional and spiritual dynamite. Run from it!

Developing one’s gifts and growing in holiness – how delightful is that! Many saints were far from prudes, but they had their goals clearly defined and reflected them in their behavior and attitudes.

Perhaps we older women can invite conversations with the young women we know about personal dignity and emotional tranquility along with compassion. Let’s discuss what’s to be lost by disregarding inner beauty and forgetting the sacredness of the total personhood God endowed in each man and woman.

A longing to please and honor God is truly a worthy priority. Holiness is made of such. Holy and being whole go together.

Leviticus 19:2
“Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.

Please comment and share your ideas for encouraging holiness among men and women of all ages in our society. Young guys and gals, how do you guard the total gift of who you are?

A Woman’s Guide: 52 Ways To Choose Happiness & Fulfillment contains practical principles for living a joyful, God-honoring life with specific Scriptures and applications. Available at Christianbooks.com.