Do You See What I See?

By Gayle Bragg Johnson

I love Christmas. I mean everything about Christmas. From picking out the perfect gift for that someone special, to the lights, making the cookies and getting the tree. But one of my favorites is the songs. 

I remember caroling when I was younger. We would pile in our cars and go caroling to the shut-ins from church. (Caroling in the country is waaaaay different than caroling in the city!)  During the long drive between houses, we would see the Christmas lights. All in all, good memories from my childhood. 

As I grew up, Christmas became more of a stress factor. The drive for the perfect Christmas took over and I didn't enjoy Christmas as much.  The older I've gotten, the more I realize that, as the Grinch said, "Maybe Christmas, the Grinch thought, doesn't come from a store.  Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more."

So, I'm thinking this year, I'm going to enjoy Christmas again. Totally. I'm going focus on the REAL meaning of Christmas. And I'm gonna pay more attention to the songs. 

"Let every heart prepare Him room."  "Oh come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord".  And one of my favorites;  "And in despair I bowed my  head; 'There is no peace on earth' I said, 'For hate is strong, and mocks the song of peace on earth, good will to men'.

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep, 'God is not dead, nor doth He sleep. The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, with peace on earth, good will to men'"

A baby. That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown. Regardless of what the world says or does, it is a day set aside to celebrate the birth of the God-man, the Lamb of God, who came to take away our sins. The One who payed the ransom with His blood so we could have a relationship with the Almighty again. He didn't have to do it. He did it because He loves you. He did it because he loves ME. It's personal. 

So I will enjoy Christmas again. And I will celebrate the birth of a baby and remember that "Unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a savior, which is Christ the Lord". Luke 2:11

Do you see what I see?

Thanksgiving

By Gayle Johnson

The past four years have been wrought with trials for me. I started out watching my father's health fail. I watched a strong and proud man become physically weak and humbled by the fact that he was no longer able to do the things he used to do by himself. During this time, I experienced an overwhelming tiredness that would not go away. An almost crippling pain in my left side prompted a visit to the doctor, which led to a CT of the abdomen. The results of the CT started a roller coaster ride of tests, biopsies and multiple doctors and office visits. 

I was thinking back a few months ago to all that I and my family has been through in the last 4 years. To make a long story short, I have had 5 surgeries, about 15 CTs, 5 ultrasounds, 4 biopsies, been diagnosed with thyroid cancer and lymphoma, 6 months of chemo, 5 maintenance chemo treatments, 2 heart caths and 3 stents, been told I've had a heart attack at some time, labs, labs and more labs, and a partridge in a pear tree. 

Looking back would give me a good reason to be depressed, and a reason to believe that God is mad at me. Yet through all of this, I can honestly say I have been blessed. I have continued to work throughout all of this, even during the worst of it. My husband, who is my gift from God, still loves me and continues to take care of me, without complaint. My children and grandchildren, also a gift from God, continue to love and respect me. They are very much in my life every day. 

Every trial I go through forces me to see and understand that God alone is in control. And I see that I am still here, still working, still going to church. I should feel waaaaay worse than I do. 

My faith has grown. God has given me a blog to sing His praises and I now teach the Sunday school class and I am being taught by the Holy Spirit himself. God is faithful!  Everyday!  He loves ME!   He knows MY NAME! It is tattooed on His hand!  I am acutely aware that I cannot do this on my own, and, praise God, I have stopped trying. 

Great is thy faithfulness is one of my favorite hymns. 

"Great is thy faithfulness, oh God my Father.

There is no shadow of turning with Thee. 

Thou changest not, thy compassions they fail not

As thou has been, thou forever wilt be.

Great is thy faithfulness, great is thy faithfulness. 

Morning by morning new mercies I see

All I have needed thy hand hath provided

Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me."

Today I am first and foremost thankful for Father God's faithfulness. I can trust Him. He is true to His word. These trials have pulled me closer to God. And I am full of the peace that passes all understanding. And joy.  Don't forget the joy. I wouldn't change my life and go back to the relationship I used to have with Jesus. You know, when I knew who he was, but not really as a friend. Today, He is my friend. And He calls me friend. 

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.””

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭31:8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭27:1‬ ‭

“ If anyone attacks you, don’t for a moment suppose that I sent them, And if any should attack, nothing will come of it. I create the blacksmith who fires up his forge and makes a weapon designed to kill. I also create the destroyer— but no weapon that can hurt you has ever been forged. Any accuser who takes you to court will be dismissed as a liar. This is what GOD ’s servants can expect. I’ll see to it that everything works out for the best.” GOD ’s Decree.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭54:11-17‬ ‭MSG‬‬

Thank you Father God for trials. May I always remember how truly blessed I am.

The Legacy That We Leave

By Gayle Bragg Johnson

I was sleeping the other night and somewhere in the twilight between sleep and wakefulness, I heard the words "The legacy we leave". I started thinking about what I will leave behind when I leave this earth. What is MY legacy?

My father was a Christian man. From the time I can remember, he always took us to church. He TOOK us to church.  And yet, the man who took us to church when I was a child was not the same man whose hand I held as he slipped from this world. The old man was wiser, his eyes narrowed and moist with the tears of a life that was full, but he seemed to feel a regret. There was an urgency in his words, calling anyone who would listen to repent and follow Christ.   The regret? Not telling enough people. 

Everyone who was blessed enough to know him was affected by his faith. He was a quiet, humble man. But He was also a leader, a teacher, a disciplinarian and someone who, I believe, God would call a friend. He was easy to get along with, unless you dishonored his God, his wife, his family or his country (in that order). 

Most of my life has been spent in a Christian home. I never remember a time when I didn't believe in God. I knew He existed. No one had to try to convince me that there was a God. I accepted Him when I was 10. But following Him, well that was a different story.  I didn't want to go where He wanted to go. Until I realized that “Even the demons believe that (there is one God)--and shudder.” ‭‭James‬ ‭2:19‬ ‭NIV‬‬. Was I no better than a demon?

Jesus himself said to the disciples to "Follow me." (John 1:43, John 21:19, Mat 4:19). He called them to walk where He walked, do what He did, to associate with those He associated with. That's what He calls us to do. Get out of your comfort zone. Get your hands dirty and your feet wet. Follow Him. Wherever He leads you. I still struggle with that. But I am trying now. 

Faith, that is the legacy I got from my father. I cannot thank him enough. Dad made sure I knew he loved me. More importantly, he made sure I knew Jesus loves me. He made sure that I knew when I screwed up, that I was always welcomed back, like the prodigal son. (Luke 15:11-32) The legacy I leave my children and grandchildren? I hope they would say the same. 

My Life is in God's Hands

By Gayle Bragg Johnson

In Job 1 we see that Satan comes in front of God. "Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”   ‭Job‬ ‭1:8‬ ‭

To which Satan says (paraphrased) Well of course he acts like that. You have a hedge of protection around him and bless everything he does. Take everything away from him and he won't be so righteous any more. He will curse you to your face. 

This conversation tells me one important fact. Everything that happens to me is Father filtered. I have been punched down now for 4 years. One problem gets solved, then another one pops up. A few years ago,I asked God, "What are you doing?  Why are you picking on me?"  Then something amazing happened. 

I learned that times of trials are a time of learning. Today, I am not really bothered by the things that happen to me. I pray daily for the peace that passes all understanding. Slowly, the Holy Spirit has given me that.  Through each trial, it gets a little easier to give it to God. And to let go of it. 

 I have learned that my life here is just a vapor. And that death is only the beginning and my life is in God's hands. Satan must ask permission to afflict me. If God thinks I need to learn to trust him more, then I will receive an opportunity to exercise my faith.  And exercise I have. The more I use my faith muscle, the bigger it gets. And by the way, I also ask God to increase my faith. Be careful what you pray for!

And the real kicker?  I pray every day that God will make me more like Jesus. Guess what? I am being reshaped into a likeness of Jesus. "If that is what it takes to praise you, Jesus bring the rain!" (From "Bring the rain" by Mercy Me)

Purpose in my pain

By Gayle Johnson

So why does God let us go through pain and hard times?  There are several reasons why. 

1.  Drawing us closer to Him. One thing I've noticed about myself is when I'm in a deep pit, that is when I am closest to God. I spend a lot more time with Him when I'm hurting. When things are out of control, I am acutely aware that I cannot do this on my own. I need help. I need God. If things were always perfect, I would not need God, now would I?  

2.  To humble us. Some times we get so full of ourselves that God has to take us to the mat and lay us out on our backs so we begin to finally look up again. 

3.  To put us where he needs us. About 13 years ago I had been working nights in ICU at St Vincent's. I was tired of working holidays, nights and weekends. I wanted a normal job with normal hours. I applied for a school nurse position and prayed and prayed that I would get the job. I did not get it. I was upset and wondered why. It was perfect for me. A couple of weeks later, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. I needed to be available during the day to help take her to treatments. I couldn't have done that as a school nurse, but at St Vincent's, my schedule was perfect for this. And then, a couple of years later, I got a job that really was perfect for me. I still work there today. God ALWAYS knows best. 

4.  To build our faith. Faith is a muscle. If you don't use it, you loose it. Faith needs to be exercised. When we exercise it, faith grows. I personally feel like there is a lot that we miss out on because of a lack of faith. How many times did Jesus chastise the apostles for their lack of faith?  What were they missing out on?  What am I missing out on?

5.  Sometimes it has nothing to do with us.   God may be moving other people around you so they can see how you react to a new trial.  After I was diagnosed with lymphoma, I heard some of my friends talking. They were commenting about all the things I've had to go through. One friend asked me how I can get through everything I have been through.  I told her "Jesus gives me strength, cause I can't do this on my own". I wouldn't have been able to say that if I weren't going through a trial. 

6.  God wants to teach us. Sometimes we should ask what it is God wants us to learn. Have you ever noticed that the only time you really learn anything is when you fall flat on your face?  The Israelites refused to learn the easy way, so they had to learn the hard way, in the desert for forty years. I'm thinking I'm gonna ask God what he wants me to know before I take another trip around that mountain. 

7.  Perhaps God is preparing us for what he has for us. You never plant the seed without first plowing the ground. You must prepare the ground to receive the seed in order for it to grow and produce a crop. That requires the ground being disturbed, turned over and exposed to the elements. 

8.  To make us more like Christ. Like the carpenter he is, Christ is smoothing out the rough edges to conform us to his standards. Think about that. Sanding is rubbing a rough piece of paper over a raw piece of wood to make it smooth and functional. It causes friction and heat. But the end result is beautiful. 

9.  Only a beloved child will be disciplined.  Not all problems are discipline.  But if you never get discipline, you might want to re-examine your relationship with God. You may not have one. 

10.  God gets blamed for a lot of things. Some of our problems are a natural progression from sin. If I cheat on a test, get caught and flunk the class, that is a natural progression. God didn't cause it. He told me not to steal or lie. (Commandment # 8 and 9, with a smattering of # 5 for good measure)

Being a Christian doesn't mean we won't face problems. Actually, Jesus promises we will have problems. The difference between us and the non-believing world is how we react to the problems we have.  A persons true character is not revealed when everything is going right, but when everything isn't.

The Big Things

Did you ever have a day when the little things just seem to go right?  I had a day like that the other day. Everywhere I went, something little happened that let me know that my steps were ordered by God. That I was right where I was supposed to be right at that time. 

Nothing big happened. I was walking in to Walmart and another man was walking towards me pushing a cart. Right as we were getting ready to pass, his tub of blueberries fell, bursting open and scattered blueberries everywhere. The look on his face was a mixture of unbelief and dismay. I smiled because I've been there. Then I heard "Help him."  I stopped to help him pick them up.  He thanked me for helping and we both went on our way. 

I went on to the pharmacy to turn in my prescription for a cough syrup. But it was written wrong. So I was informed I had to have it rewritten. And of course it was Friday and the doctor was not in until Monday. But I smiled, said thank you and took the script back. 

Then I went through the drive through and the girl got my order wrong. I smiled and thanked her for fixing it. Then on the way back up to the office I passed by a black man in a delivery uniform.   I had never seen him before, but I thought of all the racial problems in our world today. I smiled and said hello. He looked relieved and said hello back. 

Ok, it wasn't anything spectacular. It was simple, everyday situations that I responded to.  But it made me feel significant in a world that I feel lost in sometimes. 

Some days I wonder what big thing God has for me to do. Then there are days like today when I realize that sometimes the little things are actually the big things. We live in a hurting world where people don't take time for others. Sometimes a kind action, word or smile can make a difference. 

If we profess to be a Christian, but are angry, mean and cussing all the time, non Christians are going to ask "Is that what a Christian looks like? Who wants to be like that?"  We are ambassadors of God's Kingdom. We should act like it. 

I've heard it said to preach the gospel continuously, and if necessary, use words. While I do feel that each one of us are to preach the gospel with words, I also feel that how we live is the biggest advertisement for a new life in Christ. If you're going to talk the talk, you must walk the walk. Only when others see us living a different life will they want to know why.   So stop to help a stranger, be kind when things don't go your way, and share a smile. 

Faith Without Borders

By Gayle Johnson

I've been learning a lot lately about faith. It's easy to have faith in things you see every day. I have faith the sun will come up tomorrow. After all, it has come up every day of my life.  

But having faith in something you can't see is not so easy. My experience tells me that I cannot walk on water. I sink. That is how the universe works.  And yet, I read about Peter walking on water. So why can't I?

A while back, I was reading in Matthew 9.
Two blind men approached Jesus, asking Him to have mercy on them. Jesus asked if they believed he could heal them. “Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”;”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭9:29‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I've read this many times before and never noticed that he says "according to your faith."  Then I thought about what that meant. It says to me that they would receive what they are believing for. Nothing more, nothing less.

Why were there so many miracles performed in the bible?  Sure Jesus did a lot of them, but so did the apostles. Jesus sent them out and told them to heal the sick, raise the dead and cast out demons. (Matthew 10) They came back amazed that even the demons obeyed their commands. Jesus had given them HIS power to do these things in His name.

So why don't we see so many miracles today? What did the disciples have that we don't? I'm thinking it is faith. They SAW Jesus work. They knew what could happen. I think we have lived so long in a desert that we don't expect miracles any more.

I believe God can do anything, in theory. But I am being called to step out of the boat. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us. "Take my hand," says Jesus. Come on.  Let's step out of the boat together.