A Christ Follower: The Journey

Getting Back On Track Today, as I write this blog, I am remembering the death of my Dad. I love that man, and like all children with their parents, I had some issues with him over the years. Yet, I became free as both he and I manned up, worked through our issues, forgave each other and demonstrated real love for each other.  Though he is now in heaven, I still love him deeply, and I admire him more than many sons can imagine; yet, years after his  death, some grief finds it's way into my life. My Mom passed further back in the past; yet, I have similar experiences with this special person in my life. Losses of the present trigger the grief process a little, but I am at a place where it does not nearly impact my life as much as it did during those days of his  or her passing. Acceptance of each of their home goings is more a part of my life; therefore, I am on track, but sometimes I get off track even today. Surprises of Grief ...

The Weeping Stage Jesus Wept John 11:35 In our culture, it seems tears are a sign of weakness.  I remember, as I was growing up, that I was told explicitly or implicitly,  “Boy Don’t Cry!”  Or I was told, by friend and foe alike,  “Only sissies cry!”  To some extent, even the girls didn’t catch a break. We even had a popular song entitled  “Big Girls Don’t Cry.”   More abusive types might even threaten their children with,  “If you cry, I will give you a reason to cry!”  As a counselor, I cannot tell you how many times I listened to folks who had experienced tremendous loss; therefore, justifiably, they were crying, and as soon as they composed themselves they would apologize profusely saying,  “I am so sorry to be going on like this blubbering like a baby.”  Healing tears definitely get a bad reputation. If we believe the junk our culture teaches about tears, we are setting ourselves up for complicated gri...

Long, long ago, and far, far away, God spoke to an ancient Prophet. His name is Jeremiah. Jeremiah actually did hear God speaking to him, and he heard God tell him to go down to the Potter's house. Well, this Prophet, had a habit of obeying God. So, he listened to what God told him. When he got there, he saw the Potter with his pottery on the wheel. He professionally shaped it, but then the pottery became marred in the potter's hand; therefore, the Potter started all over and recreated it, and he did so in whatever formed pleased him ... whatever pleased the Potter. The pottery, on the other hand, had only one thing to do. It just sat there while the Potter worked his miracle of creativity. It's only responsibility was to sit there in the Potter's hands and do nothing else. ( Jeremiah 18: 1-4) Check Out What God Said Next Then the word of the LORD came to me saying, "Oh house of Israel, cannot I not do with you as the Potter does?" Declares the LOR...

Benediction and Final Greetings For 2017:  I hope you receive this for yourself. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Hebrews 13:20-21 Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing HIS will, and may HE work in us what is pleasing to HIM, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever!  Amen.

“Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. ” Luke 22:42 A major part of grief which we need to allow ourselves to go through, with the Good Shepherd guiding us, involves a phase that is called bargaining.  Like all the other Jesus grief stages that we have discussed previously -- Shock/Denial, Anger and depression -- this one will surely happen along the way. The key is to simply let the journey continue.  Don't resist it. Don't build up some way to dam it up to keep it from happening.  Just surrender to it, and go with the flow of grief.   The "If Only's" Or "Only Ifs"   One way to understand this part of the journey is to think about the " if only's " or the "only ifs" that you might be surprised will flow from your lips, as you seek to make a bargain with God. You may find yourself in a grief situation like many military people whos...

Jesus Depressed?  Say What?      Thinking of the Son of God being depressed is for some almost impossible to believe. Many would think that this Son of Man was much stronger than this while he journeyed here on earth. If you struggle with this, please let me ask you some questions:  How could Jesus be "a man of sorrows acquainted with grief?" How could he be "tempted in every way like we are tempted " or be empathic regarding our feelings and infirmities, as mentioned in Hebrews 4:15ff, if he didn't process grief like you or me?       Now when I talk about this stage of grief, I am not talking about chronic depression. I am talking about the acute onset of depression that comes upon us when we experience a significant loss. I am talking about those dark overwhelming feelings  and grief triggers that cause us to feel low down and or loaded down.  This includes a semblance of sadness or sorrow, ...

The Forbidden Emotion: Anger?     Sometime ago, a person for whom I care deeply, and who shall remain nameless to protect the identity,  was struggling with enormous complicated grief. This one had experienced grief after grief, as this person's loved one almost died several times, and each time, because of some very good choices made by this individual, the love of their life came back and lived a while longer. This was quite an emotional roller coaster. When the beloved actually did die, the emotions were real and raw. This included stage two of the grief process, which involves ANGER. Giving Advice Especially Bad Advice? This wounded soul revealed their anger to a fellow Christian who knows far less than he/she thinks they know.  It  was made very  clear, by this bad advice giver, that the person who had experienced such a horrific loss would wind up in hell, and they would not see their loved one, i...