Beyond the Stars

It has been a few months thinking about getting a telescope and other astrophotography equipment only to spend hours looking and taking photos of the stars, but I would have to go far out to see anything.

The last time I spent hours looking and taking pictures of the night sky was during my first visit to my parents house in Hawaii. Each house in the neighborhood is almost 100 feet apart from the next and 3000 feet above sea level. The first time I arrived to their house when the car lights went out, I looked up and saw colors that I’ve never seen before in the night sky. I have been to places with little light pollution where the stars were so easy to see, but I never been at a time and place where the belt of the Milky Way was so clear. I spent hours and days sitting outside on the deck at night while my parents slept. Some nights my Mom would catch me outside.

When I look at the stars, my thoughts are beyond just science and life outside of this planet, but God’s hand of creation. I cannot look at the stars without thinking about Him. What’s more amazing is how this big God loves us all and reached out to us through Jesus.

Genesis 1:1-5 NKJV
[1] In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. [2] The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. [3] Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. [4] And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. [5] God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.

I think about how He set everything in place and how He knows us and thinks about all of us.

Psalm 139:17-18 NKJV
[17] How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! [18] If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You.

I think about how big His love is when He sent His Son, Jesus to come to earth and reunited us with our Creator.

John 1:1-3 NKJV
[1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [2] He was in the beginning with God. [3] All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

Thankful in a Storm

It’s Thanksgiving Day and something is resonating within me that’s pulling me in completely opposite directions, faith or fear. Despite the distress in my soul, I’m thankful with hope for the future. About ten years ago, I thought I might die. I remember crying out to the Lord in my distress. That night I had a dream that I was carrying a backpack full of currency from around the world, later realizing that I was an old lady in my dream, around the 70s. God knows I’ve always had the desire to travel the world before I leave this earth. That dream was a confirmation that I would be fine and soon after, physically, I was fine.

There’s been many times in my life where I’ve felt so blessed, walking on clouds with everything working out for me, but life always has it’s storms, some that can drive one to the ground just waiting to die, but I can honestly say that if God’s hand wasn’t there to pull me out, I’m not sure where I’d be today. Even in the toughest times, I know that I’ll get through it because my life is in the hands of a good God.

I’ve had my share of lonely times having spent some holidays alone, feeling like the world is against me or completely misunderstood. Even though harsh seasons come, the sun will eventually come out. At times it feels like the hard season will never end, but I have to trust God through the season, even if it doesn’t make any sense. I know He’s shaping me through the flame as fire pulls out the impurities of gold making it rise to the surface.

What I’m most thankful for today is my Lord and Savior Jesus, without Him, I would be dead on the inside, lifeless, empty and without hope. Because of Him, I don’t have to fear the future as He will give me the strength and tools that I need to take on the storms of life as they come and always be my backbone. I’m thankful for life and good health. I’m thankful that during uncertainty, I can put my faith on a faithful God full of mercy and grace.

I pray that HOPE, JOY and PEACE will come to anyone struggling to be thankful today, but to have hope for the future and to know that they’re not alone, God that you let them know that you are there with them and that they are loved by you, God that you would let them see the light after the storm and bring healing to their soul. In Jesus name.

Flesh Before Soul

I’ve been thinking much about the flesh and the soul. There’s this movie called, “God is not Dead,” where this professor turned his back on believing in God because his mother died. I’ve heard many times, people questioning, “If God exists then why did He let a specific person die,” under various circumstances.

Truth is God loves all of us. His love for human kind is unfathomable to the human mind. Our love is so conditional, based on looks and performance or maybe who someone is from the inside, their heart, mind or stature, but God can love the person that our human heart and mind thinks is the most disgusting person alive. It’s hard to grasp.

So why does He allow certain people to die and leave our lives, going further into how they die, maybe a brutal death. Life is but a square sometimes with defined boundaries, but beyond the square there’s something greater. It’s like getting so close to a huge picture, you can’t see it from up close, but when you take a few steps back, you see how it all comes together.

Earth is like a waiting room where we wait to be called. We wait for someone to call our number. Amongst billions of people on earth we all have a set number, a set time to be called. The important thing is being ready. Some of care so much about our flesh, but forget that it doesn’t last forever, like a machine that eventually stops for long years of use so our bodies retire. The sufferings of old age, pain and struggle prepare for exit. There is no warranty for the shell we live in.

On the inside, there’s our soul, immortal, everlasting, full of life. Between the flesh, something that perishes over time and the soul, that last forever, which one is more important to take care of?

We never know when our time may be, the importance is preparation. Who’s hands will your soul fall into? Where will you be when your body decides to retire, in heaven, in hell or wandering the earth?

It is known that the #1 fear is death. I truly believe as the word of God says, aka, the Bible, that when that time comes, I’ll be in heaven seeing the glory of God, not because I earned a ticket to heaven, but because God bought the ticket for me through Jesus Christ on the cross, that all my junk and issues have been washed away as I accepted His gift of salvation. * JOHN 3:16

Getting the soul prepared is a higher priority. It is not our flesh that goes to heaven, but our soul that leaves the body after we pass & that is the part of us that will be on the judgement seat, which is why the death of the flesh is not as important as the condition of the soul. So the question of why someone died is not the important part it’s whether they are in God’s presence.

Life on earth is a passing, even as Billy Graham said. There is another dimension that we have yet to see. Whatever condition this finds you in, just remember God is all around and His love reaches to the greatest depths. No one is too broken for God to fix. Nothing is hidden from Him.

Hebrews 4:13 NKJV
[13] And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

God knows everything about your past, nothing is hidden and His hand is never too far to pull you out of the pit. He is quick to forgive. Don’t leave this earth before getting right with God. He’s gone a long ways to reach you. The Lord is there when you least expect it. All you have to do is call on Him & ask Him to come into your life & show you His ways to eternity. He’s waiting for you to ask.

Importance of the Soul

girl in pink shirt and black pants walking on gray concrete pathway
Photo by Cameron Readius on Pexels.com

I’ve been thinking much about the flesh and the soul. There’s this movie called, “God is not Dead,” where this professor turned his back on believing in God because his mother died. I’ve heard many times, people questioning, “If God exists then why did He let a specific person die,” under various circumstances.

Truth is God loves all of us. His love for human kind is unfathomable to the human mind. Our love is so conditional, based on looks and performance or maybe who someone is from the inside, their heart, mind or stature, but God can love the person that our human heart and mind thinks is the most disgusting person alive. It’s hard to grasp.

So why does He allow certain people to die and leave our lives, going further into how they die, maybe a brutal death. Life is but a square sometimes with defined boundaries, but beyond the square there’s something greater. It’s like getting so close to a huge picture, you can’t see it from up close, but when you take a few steps back, you see how it all comes together.

Earth is like a waiting room where we wait to be called. We wait for someone to call our number. Amongst billions of people on earth we all have a set number, a set time to be called. The important thing is being ready. Some of care so much about our flesh, but forget that it doesn’t last forever, like a machine that eventually stops for long years of use so our bodies retire. The sufferings of old age, pain and struggle prepare for exit. There is no warranty for the shell we live in.

On the inside, there’s our soul, immortal, everlasting, full of life. Between the flesh, something that perishes over time and the soul, that last forever, which one is more important to take care of? We never know when our time may be, the importance is preparation. Who’s hands will your soul fall into? Where will you be when your body decides to retire, in heaven, in hell or wandering the earth?

It is known that the #1 fear is death. I truly believe as the word of God says, aka, the Bible, that when that time comes, I’ll be in heaven seeing the glory of God, not because I earned a ticket to heaven, but because God bought the ticket for me through Jesus Christ on the cross, that all my junk and issues have been washed away as I accepted His gift of salvation. * JOHN 3:16

Getting the soul prepared is a higher priority. It is not our flesh that goes to heaven, but our soul that leaves the body after we pass & that is the part of us that will be on the judgement seat, which is why the death of the flesh is not as important as the condition of the soul. So the question of why someone died is not the important part it’s whether they are in God’s presence.

Life on earth is a passing, even as Billy Graham said. There is another dimension that we have yet to see. Whatever condition this finds you in, just remember God is all around and His love reaches to the greatest depths. No one is too broken for God to fix. Nothing is hidden from Him. Hebrews 4:13 says, “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”

God knows everything about your past, nothing is hidden and His hand is never too far to pull you out of the pit. He is quick to forgive. Don’t leave this earth before getting right with God. He’s gone a long ways to reach you. The Lord is there when you least expect it. All you have to do is call on Him & ask Him to come into your life & show you His ways to eternity. He’s waiting for you to ask.

Happy Mother’s Day in Spirit

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Happy Mother’s to my Mom who passed away almost 3 years ago. She was not only my Mom, but my best friend. I loved spending time with her, even if she drove me crazy sometimes.

Her laugh, smile and voice was infectious, most especially, some of the phrases that came out of her mouth. Most of the crazy sayings was when she was mad, but my favorite of all was when a lady came to our house selling carpet stain remover. We had a lot of stains on our carpet so the sales lady kept on going from stain to stain showing how powerful the cleaner was. My Mom wanted her to leave, but instead of just telling her, she gave the lady an explanation of why. It was that time of the month for her. She came out from the family room into the living room hunched over while scratching her behind saying, “Please leave, I’m bleeding.” I’ll never forget the look on the sales lady’s face, but that got her out of the house quickly. Till this day, my sister and cousins continue her legacy of funny sayings. It’s no wonder I enjoyed spending time with her.

She passed away suddenly, weeks after finding out she had stage 4 cancer. It was the most heartbreaking experience in my life. I pleaded with God to spare her, but after wailing and screaming in tears, I came to the end of the road where I had only one healthy choice to make to get through it and that was to fully trust God. Knowing that my Mom loved the Lord and knew Him, my heart can rest in assurance that one day, when I leave my fleshly body and meet Jesus, I will once again see her.

I love you and miss you Mom & I know that you will receive this message from my heart. Until we meet again.