Find Somebody

"Find somebody to help and help them."

Those words went through my mind several times as I walked the streets of New York. I wasn't sure if it was just something that popped in my head or if it was really God telling me to find somebody to help....but I thought about the words as I traveled around the city sight-seeing and taking in shows. I looked around all day long and I didn't see anyone who needed help....until I was walking back to the hotel after seeing a Broadway show. Standing on the sidewalk, suitcase in hand, stood a woman crying. "She looks like she could use some help," I thought...and I decided I would stop and talk to her. It wasn't until I got a little closer that I saw she was on the phone. I didn't want to disturb her phone call....so I reluctantly walked on. As I crossed the street to head to my hotel, the words went through my mind once again. "Find somebody to help and help them." How could I just walk away from someone who so obviously needed help....especially when the thought of helping someone had been going through my mind all day long? I turned around and headed back across the street.

"Excuse me," I said. "Could I help you?" The woman looked at me and gave a half smile. "No. I just missed my train and now I have to stay here until 3:00 a.m." I thought a moment and asked, "If I gave you a little money, would you be able to take a cab and make it to where you could get an earlier train?" The woman smiled a little more and said, "No, that's the first train out." We talked a little longer and then I went on my way. But I felt like I hadn't helped her at all...hadn't done what I had set out to do. The woman was still stuck in the city for several hours.

On the way back to the hotel, I stopped at Starbucks. As I waited for my hot chocolate, I turned to look out the window....and there was the woman walking by, talking on the phone again. But this time she wasn't crying. She looked like anyone else in the city just walking down the street toward her destination.

By seeing her in that very short moment that she walked by, God showed me that we don't always know how we've affected another person. I thought I had failed in helping her. When I walked away from her, I felt I hadn't helped at all. but she did seem like she was feeling better when I saw her as she walked by the window...

Maybe you've tried to help someone, too, and you feel you've failed. Keep doing all you can do and let God do the rest. You may not see an outward change...you may never know on this side of heaven how your words or your kindness helped another.

But keep doing good to all those you meet.

And trust God to touch the hearts and lives of all those you try to help.

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American Idol

Anybody watching American Idol? I am! I love seeing new talent and this year it's been hard for me to choose favorites because I like so many of them. But I have narrowed it down and I do have a few favorites...who will remain nameless at this time!!

I see, though, that the media has started printing unflattering things about some of the contestants...digging up things that happened in the past and making headlines of them. I'm not saying that I approve of some of the things I've read, but who among us hasn't done something in the past that we've come to regret? We all have things that we've done at one time or another that we'd rather not have splashed all over the media. It must be difficult for them to know that their personal lives are being placed on display for all the world to see. My heart goes out to them.

How about you? Can you think of something you've done in the past that you regret? Something that maybe even brings guilt to your heart when you think about it? For those who are Christians...for those who have asked Jesus to come into their lives and be their Lord and Savior, God washes the guilt of our past mistakes away when we come to Him and ask Him to forgive us. There is nothing that is too big, too bad, too hard, or too awful for Him to forgive if we are really seeking His forgiveness and trying to live our lives for Him.

So if something is bothering you today...if something is eating away at you inside...come to God. (If you don't already know Him, accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior.) Tell Him you're sorry. Ask Him to forgive you and to help you live the way He wants you to live. Accept the forgiveness He offers and forgive yourself.

Then move on.

"Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord'--and You forgave the guilt of my sin..." Ps. 32:5

Typoes! (Smile!)

I went to the dentist the other day. Not my idea of fun, but it has to be done sometimes. I was having some old fillings removed and new ones put in....all without Novocain. (Before you say anything, having that done without your mouth being numb is definitely not something I recommend for everyone!! The dentist even used the word "surgery" when he was talking to me about the procedure. Surgery without being numb....all I can say is, "Ouch!")

Anyway, I had written to a friend earlier in the day to tell her what I was having done. But as I wrote, I made a typo....I wrote about my old "feelings" being pulled out!! (Smile!) I caught the mistake before I sent it, but I decided to leave it in because I thought it was funny!

Later, I thought about what I had mistakenly typed....old feelings being pulled out. And I realized that I do actually have some old feelings that need to be pulled out from time to time. I bet you do, too.

Sometimes, don't we need our old feeling of anger replaced with a new feeling of forgiveness? Anybody need a new feeling of patience for impatience? Love for hate? Joy for sorrow? Caring for indifference? I could go on and on, but you get the picture.

Sometimes we need to let God do some "surgery" inside our hearts and replace some of our old feelings with new ones.

(And we don't even need any Novocain for that!!)


"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you..." Ez. 36:26

All Things

The first scripture I remember really thinking about and applying to my life was Romans 8:28. "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."

I was introduced to that scripture through a book I read called Joni by Joni Eareckson Tada. When I was a young girl, someone in my Sunday School class had the book and as soon as I saw it, I knew I had to read it.

I got a copy of the book and as I read, I was amazed at Joni's faith...faith that sustained her through a very difficult time. You see, Joni was paralyzed in a diving accident when she was a teen-ager. She was already a Christian, but this accident deepened her spiritual walk.

Joni believed then, and still does to this day, that God works all things together for good for those who love Him and have made Jesus their Lord and Savior.

I believe that, too.

Some people think that means we think that everything is "good"....but that's not what the verse is saying. It says that even when difficult things happen, God is able to redeem them and make something good come from them.

God has used Joni's accident and her life in a wheelchair to touch many people who may never have had the chance to learn about God had it not been for Joni speaking to them or being touched by the ministry she's involved with today. People will live for eternity in heaven because of Joni and her testimony. That is certainly God working things out for good....a terrible accident...a life altered in a second....many entering heaven because of being introduced to God through her accident and her life.

No, not everything that happens in our world is good....far from it.

But when we encounter difficulties and hardships, we need to have faith that God is able to take the situations and events in our lives that aren't ideal...things that may even hurt....and ultimately work them out for good....He will do that for those who love Him and are living for Him.

And I'm so grateful for that.

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28