Three Signs That Point To A Need For Rest

The holidays are quickly approaching. Are you dreading another family gathering? Do you get exhausted just thinking about all the planning, preparation, and energy it will take to keep it all from unraveling?

God has a way of "pulling us away" to a place of rest and restoration.  

Sometimes it is by invitation, or by His divine appointment.  Other times it is through His grace and coercion. When the weight of the world is pressing down and a sense of heaviness invades your soul, steal away time to refresh yourself. 

Oftentimes the outdoors will rejuvenate you. Go for a walk, take in nature's wonders, and reflect on your heavenly Father's love and care for you. Steal a few moments to separate yourself from others. Take a short nap, or put on your favorite praise & worship music. Read His Word, delving into the Psalms or the gospel of John which is His love letter to us. Discover God's powerful presence and attributes as you meditate on His Goodness.

Here are three things that can indicate a real need for rest:

1.  Lack of focus 

     ~ You are increasingly unable to think clearly due to fatigue, distraction, or over commitment. You have a difficult time staying on task and often drift away mentally. You can barely put one foot in front of the other to finish a task.

2.  Lack of purpose

     ~ Go back in time and reflect on the early days of your spiritual conversion. Recall that God-given mandate you received from the Lord. Re-evaluate your spiritual gifts and remember the contentment and fulfillment you once enjoyed.

3.  Lack of passion

     ~ Identify what drives you to do what you do. God gives you a divine zeal. He loves to reveal His purpose for your life. Let His Word and Spirit direct your heart and pathway ahead. Remember, His way is easier and less burdensome. 

Scripture is full of examples for the need to rest and be refreshed...

King David often petitioned God in the Psalms to give him courage, strength and rest.  In Psalm 37:7 he tells us "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him...". 

The prophet Jeremiah quoted the LORD Himself: "Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls." (Jeremiah 6:16)

Jesus spoke to the crowds that were pressing in all around Him and comforted them with these words, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)

The apostle Paul tells his Hebrew audience, "For we who have believed do enter that rest... There remains therefore a rest for the people of God." (Hebrews 4:3, 9)

In the book of Revelation, John writes down what the voice from heaven spoke to him: "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on...that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them." (Revelation 14:13)


Below is a poem I wrote in the spring of 2003. 

  Enter My Rest...

Family and workloads, deadlines and tests,

weary and tired, surely hard pressed;

other's demands and schedules left

weighing on shoulders meant for much less.

Daughter of Mine...enter My Rest.

Steep is the path of life's daily trek -

hard is the road that leads to His best.

Often no thanks or kindness is shown,

only a sharp reply they confess.

Daughter of Mine...enter My Rest.

Lay aside weights and all heaviness,

leaving behind the hurt and the pain.

Let me restore what value is left.

Come...pull away - be free and be blessed.

Daughter of Mine...enter My Rest.

DL McCarragher - April 2003

"Oh, that I had wings like a dove!  For then I would fly away and be at rest."  (Psalm 55:6)

Life comes at us hard and fast... be sure to slow down and refresh your soul.  

A moment of rest can make all the difference to you and those around you. Rest in the Lord today!

Deborah is the author of a Christian non-fiction book titled “Mission Possible”. It was written for women who love the Lord Jesus, but their spouse doesn’t share their passion.  It will encourage and challenge the reader to embrace God’s promises for their spouse and future together.  Visit  http://www.spirituallyunevenmarriage.com

If you have been encouraged by this post - please take time to share it with others.

Three Signs That Point To A Need For Rest

What Does a Spiritual Mom Look Like?

We all have a sphere of influence.  It might be at home, at work, or in our neighborhood. 

As Christian women, we often encounter people and situations that beckon us to interact as Godly examples and mentors.

The Apostle Paul was writing to Titus (his true son in the faith) to remind him to appoint elders (overseers) in every town. The growing church needed leadership and direction. It needed mature believers to mentor and train-up fellow believers in their day to day walk with God.

How does that apply to us - women of faith - Moms, Grandmothers, Aunts, Sisters, and Wives...

Titus 2:3-5 says this: "...They [older women] are to teach what is good, so they may encourage the young women to love their husbands and to love their children, to be self-controlled, pure, homemakers, kind, and submissive to their husbands, so that God's message will not be slandered."



Part of the charge to women in particular is to love their husbands and be submissive to them, so that God's message and His name would not be slandered.  Submission is a word that many women run from - but that is not necessary.  Find out why in a blog post I wrote about submission here:

Oh No... Not the "S" Word

For those of us who have children and grandchildren, being MOM to our adult kids never really ends.Our influence might evolve and morph into more of a "support" role. If you are like most Moms, you still give unsolicited advice and occasionally do one of those irritating Mom things. However, our adult children are no less needy and deserving of our time, energy and wisdom than when they were young. Now, more than ever, we need to mentor them and guide them into greater spiritual truth. They will make their own choices and live with those consequences. We are to pray for them and their walk with God.

If you are a mature Christian - both in years and experience - you have something to offer younger women! 

Not every woman will teach Sunday School or lead a Bible study at church, but you can reach a new generation with the powerful message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. How can you be involved in mentoring a young woman?  What practical steps can you take?

You can devote your time, energy and encouragement to her. You can be available to talk and offer Biblical counsel. You can offer assistance with child care, errands, and life skills. You can meet for Bible study, devotions, and prayer time. The list is endless... be creative!

My former daughter-in-law recently gave her life to Jesus and was baptized with my granddaughter. She is truly a new creation in Christ. This was a young lady that had absolutely no interest in living a Christian lifestyle when she met and married our son (who was not walking with the Lord). Growing up, she had been raised in church and attended a Catholic school - but as many young people do - she wandered away from God's truth.

I now have the honor and privilege of being a mentor and a spiritual Mom to her. It has been exhilarating and exhausting - all at the same time. Our emotions peak and fall like a ride on a roller-coaster at times, but I know deep in my heart God can get us through it together. We are family, and we always will be...

For those of you who are in an unequally-yoked marriage and still have young children living in your home - here is the link to a wonderful resource by Lynn Donovan and Dineen Miller titled:

Not Alone: Trusting God to Help You Raise Godly Kids in a Spiritually Mismatched Home

On a personal side note - since my Dad passed away two years ago, my mother and I make it a point to meet for dinner every Thursday night after she gets her hair done.  She still drives (for now) and relishes her liberty. I'm so thankful we can enjoy each other's company and can be a spiritual support for each other.

Enjoy your Mom if you still have her. Thank God for His Word and Biblical pattern for being a spiritual Mom to someone special in your life.

Deborah is the author of a Christian non-fiction book titled “Mission Possible”. It is written for women who love the Lord Jesus, but their spouse doesn’t share their passion.  It will encourage and challenge the reader to embrace God’s promises for their spouse and future together. 

Visit  http://www.spirituallyunevenmarriage.com

If you have been encouraged by this post - please take time to share it with others.

What Does a Spiritual Mom Look Like?

How to Turn Your Devastation Into A Healthy Regeneration

When we meet with discouragement, what do we do with it?  

There are situations in your marriage that will require you to make a choice right away. Your spouse might have done something that deeply hurt or offended you, and now you are faced with a dilemma: respond in a Christ centered way, or the world's way, which inevitably leads to remorse. As Oswald Chambers says, "Life serves back in the coin you pay..."

Do not confer with “flesh and blood”, rather go to your Heavenly Father and spill out your heart before Him. A popular Christian author and speaker says this: “Go to the Throne, instead of the phone.”

Living in an unequally-yoked marriage is stressful enough. You don't need to increase your level of anxiety by creating problems where they don't exist. You might be harboring resentment towards God for something you think He should have done in your marriage or family.  Maybe you're upset because you were sure you heard from God, and now you doubt yourself and His plans for your life. 

You are at a crossroads.  Every decision leads you somewhere.  Your devastation can be turned into a healthy regeneration.

A short Bible study will set the scene for us:  

In II Samuel 12, King David was confronted by the prophet Nathan over his sin. This included lusting after and taking another man's wife, purposing to frame him for the pregnancy, and eventually plotting to kill him to cover his own sin.  David was oblivious to the fact that it was him that the prophet was speaking of in the story he was telling the King.  God directed Nathan to tell David, "You are the man!"  After declaring to David that God had indeed blessed him, and would have done even more to exalt him in the eyes of Israel, Nathan proceeded to deliver an admonishment to the King from God, and pronounce a prophesy of doom on him and his household for the evil he had done.  

David was at a standstill and a choice had to be made.  

He admitted the secret sins and wailed, "I have sinned against the LORD."   At that moment, Nathan said to him, "The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die.  However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die."  It was a horrendous penalty to pay for his sins, and it involved an innocent victim.  King David chose rightly because he admitted his sin and accepted the consequences. He knew who God was and His righteous character.

David wrote many of the stirring Psalms that we so dearly embrace and recite in times of despair.  He used the time of restoration after his fall from grace to extol the virtues and mercies of God for all to reflect upon.  He spent countless nights praising his LORD and giving thanks for the mighty hand that guided him into truth and grace, as he sought to live out his days as a "man after God's own heart."   David pleaded with God to punish him, but not the child.  However, God's Word stood and David accepted the consequence.  He showed a level of maturity that we need to embrace.   

When you are distressed and in deep despair, get alone with God and His Word.  Do some true soul-searching.  Bring all of your hurts and disappointments to Him.

God will regenerate your thinking to line up with His thoughts, and align your will with His.  Instead of letting disappointment overtake him, David ultimately accepted the circumstances and praised God for them. 

What took place next is amazing.  Verse 20 tells us that, "David arose from the ground, washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped."  

David arose in the newness of God's grace, and came forth from the grave of self-pity and defeat.  He was regenerated by God's promises and truths from His Word.  Isaiah 61:3 declares the LORD will, "console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness..."   Psalm 30:5 states, "For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning."  David saw the dawn of a new day in God's sovereignty.

When we have come face to face with a crisis that tears at the very core of your being, that is when we must go to God and lean on His mercies.  

Gain renewed strength from Who He Is.  Rest assured that His grace will be sufficient and His power adequate to sustain you in your weakness (II Corinthians 12: 9-10).

Regenerate your spiritual life by renewing your mind and reinvigorating your faith walk. God will meet you at your weakest point to bring you to His best for your life...

Deborah is the author of a Christian non-fiction book titled “Mission Possible”. It is written for women who love the Lord Jesus, but their spouse doesn’t share their passion.  It will encourage and challenge the reader to embrace God’s promises for their spouse and future together. Visit  http://www.spirituallyunevenmarriage.com

If you have been encouraged by this post - please take time to share it with

others.

How to Turn Your Devastation Into A Healthy Regeneration

A Spiritual "Tug-O-War"

Do you feel as though you are in a spiritual tug-o-war? 

When you are living in an unequally-yoked marriage, there will be times when you feel as though you are being pulled in two different directions...

Do you struggle as I do with everyday occurrences that remind you of a scene in "Clash of the Titans"?  This epic story of good versus evil is found in many books, movies and fairy tales. So how does that correlate to a spiritually mismatched marriage?  

The Apostle Paul appeals to believers in II Corinthians 6:14 as follows: "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?"  His main focus was on everyday life choices including friendships, commerce and social activities. Christians are supposed to be separated unto the Lord to maintain a witness to an unsaved world.

However, he also lays out Godly principles in I Corinthians 7:10-16 regarding believers married to non-believers. He sums up with this: "For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?" 

Just remember this... ... He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (I John 4:4). 

First and foremost we must maintain our connection with Jesus Christ and feed our spiritual man [woman]. The world contends for our attention. This quote from C.H. Spurgeon's "Morning and Evening" says it all:  "It is the incessant turmoil of the world, the constant attraction of earthly things, that takes the soul away from Christ".

Be sure that you make time to charge your spiritual battery. You need to stay in fellowship with Jesus in order to live a Christ-centered life at home. Here is one of my Blog posts from the past that explains what I mean:  Exercise Profits Nothing

Next, don't view your spouse as the enemy. Remember they don't yet know the Lord as you do. They are spiritually "dead" to the things of God. In my book MISSION POSSIBLE - Chapter 2 The "Abigail Syndrome", I explain it this way:

"The world does make man like stone and cold to the things of God. Pray for your husband as in Ezekiel 36:26: "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh."  His spiritual death needs to be recognized by his flesh. When your husband dies to himself, it will be so God can raise him up with "resurrection power" to be the Godly priest of your home [God] intended!"  Copyright © Deborah McCarragher and God Mission Possible, 2010-2015 

Lastly, dwell with your mate in harmony as much as is possible. When my husband wants to watch something on TV that "grates" on my spirit, I just go upstairs to my office and watch something else. Having a heated discussion on what he wants to watch versus what I want to watch only leads to further division. We watch plenty of TV together - so I've learned to choose my battles carefully. 

Do what you can to live in peace. Give and take. Hold your tongue. Defer to your spouse's choices when practical and wait for an appropriate time to discuss your concerns. I wrote a Blog post on this subject here: Can't We All Just Get Along?

If you think you're going to "blow a gasket" - go for a walk. Step into another room and say an SOS prayer. Make provision for quality time for yourself. That way you'll be less likely to react in a dishonorable way.

Don't let the "tug-o-war" become a win or lose scenario. You can win by letting God have His way in your life and peace in your home.

Deborah is the author of a Christian non-fiction book titled “Mission Possible”. It is written for women who love the Lord Jesus, but their spouse doesn’t share their passion.  It will encourage and challenge the reader to embrace God’s promises for their spouse and future together. 

Visit  http://www.spirituallyunevenmarriage.com

If you have been encouraged by this post - please take time to share it with others.

A Spiritual "Tug-O-War"

Is Your Testimony - Open Mouth and Insert Foot?

Yep - I had to bite my tongue... again.

Never return evil for evil or insult for insult... but on the contrary blessing - praying for their welfare, happiness and protection, and truly pitying and loving them. For know to this you have been called, that you may yourselves inherit a blessing (from God) - obtain a blessing as heirs, bringing welfare and happiness and protection. (I Peter 3:9 AMP)

I suppose I'm the only one that routinely visits this scenario. I'm having to once again swallow my pride, humble myself and return a kind word in exchange for a gruff remark.

"Did he get up on the wrong side of the bed again?" I ask myself.  Why do I feel that any little thing sets him off like a firecracker? Lord, I'm tired of getting my feelings hurt and my ego bruised again. Why must I always be the one to back down and extend grace?

Yes - I'm being melodramatic here for a reason.  First of all, when we continuously refer to ourselves and our feelings as we complain to the Lord, we are in effect answering in the rhetorical because we already know what the answer is.  We are Christians and we don't act like the world. We are to act like Christ.

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.  (Proverbs 15:1)

Here is a brief excerpt from my book  MISSION POSSIBLE   

Chapter 6   In The Meantime - Serve

I Peter 5:7 says, [in humility] "casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." Sometimes we have many concerns and burdens to cast upon Him. There are days we must ask God to forgive us for an attitude that is less than honorable. When my husband hurt me with a comment or action, I would find myself saying to God, "Forgive him, Lord, for he knows not what he does."  

We cannot afford to hold a grudge and give place to the devil. We must be peacemakers.  Matthew 5:9 says, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."  Love is the "bond of perfection" and you must "let the peace of God rule in your hearts..." (Colossians 3:14-15). We need to remind ourselves that "we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12).  Your husband is not the enemy - Satan is!    © 2010-2015

I was listening to a sermon the other day via a pod cast by a well-known pastor. He was teaching on the subject of repentance with reference to the crowds that surrounded Peter as he was preaching during Pentacost. His boldness had dramatically increased after the Holy Spirit had empowered him and the other disciples. The Apostle Peter confronted them with the death of the promised Messiah and their own sin (Acts 2:36-41).

Paul writes to the Corinthians telling them that he rejoiced in the fact that their sorrow led them to a true repentance that in turn led to salvation (2 Corinthians 7:9-10).  I began to see with my spiritual eyes that godly sorrow in me would produce true repentance - not just "lip service" to the Lord.  My actions needed to align themselves with what I was "saying I would change." Christians have to repent too! 

I needed to turn from my former ways of coping with the difficulties in my marriage to a more Godly response that was born from a pure heart's motive.

Thankfully Jesus is a God of second chances. He knows our frailties. He sees our innermost struggles. If we ask Him for strength, perseverance, and wisdom He will oblige us in our request. Purpose to submit yourself to His plans and His ways. Remember, taking on His yoke is easier than trying to do it all by yourself (Matthew 11:29-30).

Speaking of submission - always view it from the perspective of submitting to Jesus. That will help you as your spouse's helpmeet to do what is required by the Lord to preserve harmony and a safety zone within your marriage.  Here is a link to one of my popular posts about submission:  Oh No - Not the S Word .

So tell me - what is your greatest stumbling block in your spiritually mismatched marriage?  Do you cry out to the Lord in frustration?  Have you seen a rise in spiritual tension in your home?

Stay on your knees... that just might be a sign of a pending breakthrough in the heavenlies...

Deborah is the author of a Christian non-fiction book titled “Mission Possible”. It is written for women who love the Lord Jesus, but their spouse doesn’t share their passion.  It will encourage and challenge the reader to embrace God’s promises for their spouse and future together. Visit  http://www.spirituallyunevenmarriage.com

If you have been encouraged by this post - please take time to share it with others.

Is Your Testimony - Open Mouth and Insert Foot?

The Walking Dead

Zombies are all the rage... 

With the success of popular TV shows like AMC's  The Walking Dead  - our fascination with death and corpses is on the rise. Based on a comic book series by the same name, The Walking Dead focuses on a post-apocalyptic world where flesh eating zombies rule.  

Night of the Living Dead was a popular horror movie made in 1968 featuring zombies, and still boasts a cult following today.  So what fuels our culture's obsession with death?  Could part of it be denial of our own mortality?  

Halloween seems to bring out the worst in morbid costumes and decorations. Death and gore are glorified. Zombies, demons, witches and spooky monsters abound. What are Christians to do with this "holiday" that is celebrated from infancy to adulthood?

First of all - a little history lesson on Halloween:  It was a Celtic pagan festival, and then became the Christian holiday known as All Saints' Day, but later morphed into the secular celebration of today. 

Halloween activities include trick-or treating, wearing costumes, carving Jack-o'-lanterns, apple bobbing, visiting haunted attractions, committing pranks, telling ghost stories or other frightening tales, and watching classic horror films.

In traditional Celtic festivals, large turnips were hollowed out, carved with faces and placed in windows to ward off evil spirits.  The carving of pumpkins is associated with Halloween in North America where pumpkins are both readily available and much larger – making them easier to carve than turnips. Many families that celebrate Halloween carve a pumpkin into a frightening or comical face and place it on their doorstep after dark.  

The practice of dressing up in costumes and begging door to door for treats on holidays dates back to the Middle Ages.  Trick-or-treating resembles the late medieval practice of souling, originating in Ireland and Britain.  Poor folk would go door to door on Hallowmas (November 1st), receiving food in return for prayers for the dead on All Souls Day (November 2nd).

The early Christian church moved a festive celebration called All Saints' Day from May to November 1 and renamed it  All Hallows' Eve, from which we get the word Halloween.  This was an overt attempt on the part of believers to infiltrate pagan tradition with the truth of the gospel.  It was a bold evangelistic move designed to demonstrate that only the power of the resurrected Christ could protect men and women from the destructive ploys of Satan and his demons.

An article posted on ChristianityToday.com  in 2009 cited a Barna Research study which had this to say:

“The majority of American Christians do not believe that Satan is a real being or that the Holy Spirit is a living entity, the latest Barna Research survey found. Nearly six out of ten Christians either strongly agreed or somewhat agreed with the statement that Satan “is not a living being but is a symbol of evil,” the survey found.  40 percent strongly agreed with the statement while 19 percent of American Christians somewhat agreed.  In contrast, about 35 percent of American Christians believe Satan is real.  20 percent strongly disagreed with the statement that Satan is merely symbolic and about one-tenth (9 percent) somewhat disagreed. The remaining 8 percent of American Christians responded they were unsure what to believe about the existence of Satan.”

Anyone who is not in Christ is one of the "walking dead" already (in the spiritual realm).  What can we as believers do to counter-balance a society that deems Halloween “harmless?” For starters, we can have an open door for evangelism and education. The deception of a holiday such as Halloween, with its witches, vampires, demons, skeletons, and overall theme of evil, can become an opportunity to demonstrate the dynamic power of Christ to redeem us from death.  Halloween distorts the reality of true spiritual warfare, and glorifies the dark side of the under world.  

Although death and the grave are very real, evil has been defeated by Jesus Christ through His death on the cross. We are more than conquerors over the powers of darkness, demonstrated by Jesus’ resurrection Colossians 2:15, and the Holy Spirit’s power in us as believers Ephesians 6:11-17.

Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life – He is Lord of the living, as death has no power over those who believe on His Name. If you want to have a life changing personal relationship with Jesus Christ - please visit  Steps to Peace with God

“For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus… For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God.  And the dead in Christ will rise first.”   I Thessalonians 4:14; 16

Deborah is the author of a Christian non-fiction book titled “Mission Possible”. It is written for women who love the Lord Jesus, but their spouse doesn’t share their passion.  It will encourage and challenge the reader to embrace God’s promises for their spouse and future together. Visit  http://www.spirituallyunevenmarriage.com

If you have been encouraged by this post - please take time to share it with others.

The Walking Dead

God's Amazing Love

123RF Stock Photo

This is the last in my series  Elder Care – My Dad’s Journey.  If you missed my previous posts you can visit them here: 

Love Isn't Just for Valentine's Day

Moving Forward

Christmas - Great Expectations?

Since my post in February, my Dad passed away after a lengthy battle with colon cancer.  He died peacefully in early March on a Sunday night with his wife and two daughters by his side.

Dad’s funeral memorialized his service to his country and his community.  He was a retired US Naval officer (pilot) and a retired high school math teacher.  He volunteered with several local charities and encouraged many in his day to day activities.

I shared some personal memories during his service including the following:

I am the firstborn of two daughters. Dad made a great choice…we’re both excellent cooks!

Our Dad was the kind of guy who went out of his way to play with us, read to us, and just act“silly” with us. We watched Mighty Mouse together, marched around the living room to“Sing Along with Mitch”, and never missed an episode of Lassie on Sunday nights.

Dad taught us to throw a ball, ride a bike, make a fort and drive a car. His greatest gift to us was his time. He always DID things with us.

Later on when we were teenagers – he had immense patience. These were the days of hang-ten T-shirts, sun-in hair lightener, and camera flash-cubes. The “70’s” brought platform shoes, bell-bottoms, and mini-skirts, though I was not allowed to wear them. We enjoyed an adventurous life as kids of a naval officer, and learned to make friends easily.

Dad gave us great advice, though we didn’t always heed it. He always expressed his love for us and helped to foster our healthy sense of self-worth and self-esteem.

He was delighted to welcome into this world his only grandson and has always enjoyed their time together.  He was a “hands on” kind of Grandpa – often playing outside, or helping him with a project, reading a book together, or just goofing around.

Dad lived a full life and enjoyed traveling while in the Navy, helping his students at Orange Park High grasp otherwise difficult math concepts, and volunteered with various local organizations when retired.

Over the years our relationship went through a metamorphosis of sorts. I put a strain on it when I left home in the early 1970’s to marry my first husband.  I was 17 years old and he was 21. It ended in divorce four years later.  Dad was never pleased with my decision, but he and my mother supported me nonetheless.  Later on he and I patched up the rift.  After my marriage to my current husband, things improved greatly between us. My husband and I recently celebrated 32 years of marriage this past January.  Dad always loved him and said he could not have chosen a better son-in-law himself.

A few years ago, while walking his two little dogs in their neighborhood, we began a conversation centered on his childhood and going to church.  His parents belonged to a certain denomination and had a falling-out with their church, which caused them to leave.  He never attended church again until he married my mom.  He was never a particularly religious person and was not involved in a local church.

Right then and there I shared my faith journey with him and told him, “Dad, it’s not about religion, or denomination, or even a one-time experience… it’s about a relationship with The Living God, your Creator, the lover of your soul.”

I related that story to the crowd at his funeral and asked those in attendance to let me know if they wanted to know more about have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I had given my life and heart to Jesus at the age of 33.  I wanted to honor God in that moment by extending an invitation to the many family and friends at his service.

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

Eleventh-hour conversions are not uncommon. You hear them on the battle field or perhaps after a horrific accident. In Luke 23:39-43 our Lord and two criminals had been nailed to their crosses. Jesus welcomed a repentant sinner into heaven right before he died. One of the thieves, recognizing that he was a sinner – rightly condemned for his crimes, rebuked the other thief and proclaimed Jesus’ innocence. When he asked to be remembered in His future kingdom, Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

The morning before my Dad died I had the honor and privilege of spending time alone with him. My mother and sister were unable to come until later that afternoon. I knew time was short.  His breathing had changed.- it was shallow and a bit labored.  His eyes were unresponsive.  I held his hand and told him I loved him.  I relayed to him that my sister and I would take good care of my Mom. I squeezed his hand several times and stroked his brow – but he did not respond. 

I had been watching the TV in his room and switched channels to the Sunday morning church program In Touch with Dr. Charles F Stanley. It is one of my favorite shows. Dad and I listed to his message (although he didn't acknowledge it) and at the end Dr. Stanley had a very poignant invitation to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  

My prayer is that my Dad did make peace with God in the quiet of his heart and the moments before he took his last breath on this earth.

I trust God has been pleased with my attitude, actions and words while I cared for my Dad. He spent many days in the hospital prior to his final stay at the adjacent nursing home facility.  I knew the nurses and attendants on both the morning and the evening shifts by name.  They were wonderful, compassionate caregivers, and they treated him with such dignity and love.

God bless you Dad… you will be greatly missed.

I implore you, don't leave earth without being certain of your salvation. If you are in doubt - please read my post It's Not About Religion - It's About Relationship

My chains are gone, I’ve been set free

My God my Savior has ransomed me,

And like a flood, His mercy reigns

Unending love, amazing Grace

Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone) - by Chris Tomlin 

Deborah is the author of a Christian non-fiction book titled “Mission Possible”. It is written for women who love the Lord Jesus, but their spouse doesn’t share their passion.  It will encourage and challenge the reader to embrace God’s promises for their spouse and future together. 

Visit  http://www.spirituallyunevenmarriage.com

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God's Amazing Love