“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”                                                                                                 ~ Romans 8:38-39 (NLT)

I read an articles this morning about a young Pastor who just committed suicide and left his wife and 3 young boys behind.  It broke my heart!

The article went on to share that pastors get depressed too.  It struck me as odd, there was a need to post an article to remind people that pastors are just like the rest of people.  Doesn’t that in and of itself point out a problem?

People have for too long been placing pastors in a position to be worshiped. Elevating them to a status above others.  Believing somehow that since they have the calling to be a Pastor somehow they are super-human and are slightly above others.  As a pastor’s wife, might I just say… Please, Stop!  Pastors are not above or better than the flock they serve.  They do not get some special pass to bypass issues of life nor are they super human or more spiritual than others.  God chooses pastors the same way he chooses the rest of us… through His love, mercy and grace!

So why do people buy into an idea that somehow pastors, pastors wives and even pastors kids are somehow more spiritual?

First, because we allow them to think that way… and it’s called pride.  Who doesn’t want others to think more highly about us than they should?  Just take a look at social media and you can see that each of us fall into this trap. Why should it be any different for a pastor, pastors wife or pastors kid?

Somehow when people think of us better than we really are, it strikes a chord in us.  I think an honest chord really.. who doesn’t want to be better than we actually are???  It feels good to us, because we all know our own failings and desperately wish we were better at controlling them.  So, when the accolades come that say… “wow, your pretty neat!”  It feels so much better than the voices we deal with in our own heads that perpetually repeat a message that says… “I am not enough.”

Secondly, the standard of Christ is perfection.  So when a pastor is called into the ministry, and has an honest heart for the ministry, what do you think the standard is for him and his family?  That’s right, you got it… perfection like Christ!

The problem, however, is it’s not obtainable this side of heaven.  Oh, the other side of heaven it’s already been declared for us.  But for the here and now… no way Jose!  We can never achieve it!  As much as we strive to obtain it, the fall is coming, the slip-up happens, the sin is revealed within our own hearts and it takes a blow at the measure of how we see ourselves.

Somehow the false narrative that says we are to be more spiritual seeps in with every eye of expectation that stares at us and our families.  Every praise from people who says how great we are, is like a fake brick that builds up our altar of false humility and pride.  When we accept that brick… we begin building our own pedestal without even knowing it.  And, if we are not careful, before too long, we can look around and find ourselves sitting  in a higher position, poised as perfect amongst  the congregation God has called us to serve along-side with!

That pedestal serves as a comfort to our own inadequacy.  A blinder, if you will, causing us to not face the fact that God called imperfect people with flaws and failures to led His people.  He never called us to be perfect in order to lead.  All throughout history, God always used imperfect, sin-prone people to lead His people. Why should it be any different now?!?

Yes, Jesus is our standard, and yes, we should strive for His perfection, but someone needs to shout out the message long enough and LOUD enough for all to hear that we can never achieve His perfection apart from Him.  And, the someone who needs to be carrying that message, needs to be the ones themselves, who will be affected the most if that message is not understood within our culture. The pastor, the pastor’s wife, the pastors kid!

Which leads me to a third reason people buy into an idea that somehow pastors, pastors wives and even pastors kids are somehow more spiritual…
Since we know we cannot achieve this perfection apart from Him or apart for the Holy Spirit of God.  Many pastors, pastors wives and even pastors kids feel ashamed to admit when we are not perfect, it’s a direct reflection of us not being led by the Spirit or filled with the Spirit in any given moment.

Now in the Christian culture, we all know that to try to do ministry apart from the filling of the Spirit  is a no-no!  So of course when failure comes, when depression hits, when humanity swells and overtakes the spiritual man… he  hides behind the facade of being perfect!  His speech takes on a tone of perfection to compensate.  For some, although most likely subconsciously, boasting from the pulpit to portray their successes rather than their failings affords this temporary band-aid to hide inadequacies and failures. The snare that was set, if not quickly shaken off can cause the sin of pride to latch on for dear life.  A slow fade begins to take place where the Sinner Pastor becomes the Perfect Pastor from the pulpit that was meant for him to boast about Christ and Christ alone!  Or the Sinner Pastor’s Wife begins to dress up to protect the reputation she so desperately wishes for.  And, the Sinner Pastors Kids learn at a young age that pretension is their protection from the bite of expectations others have established for them.

So what are we to do? How do we stop this pattern that has already been set in motion by many who have led before us?

How do we ourselves change our own minds from the thinking that we were called to be better than those we serve?

How do we change our own minds that Christ expects us to be perfect in order to be qualified to lead his people?

Or how do we dare to be brave enough to allow others to see us, as who we really are and still feel accepted to minister in their eyes?

Read… Read our Bibles!  Saturate our own minds with the words of Christ and quit letting the words of man take precedent over the words of God!

Quit letting the eyes of man’s stare, take precedent over the eyes of God graceful glance.

Quit robbing God of His glory by trying to be equal to His perfection.  It’s His perfection which allows us to be imperfectly perfect and imperfectly saved. Let’s boast in that.

Be brave enough to be authentic, acknowledging we all are saved as sinners, we all live life on earth as sinners and we all meet as sinners at the foot of the cross.  None of us, no matter how we want to paint ourselves are greater than another spiritually.  The moment we think we are, we have just stolen from the power of the cross.  We’ve robbed the glory that belongs to God and Christ, whom Himself, was perfect and who sacrificed His perfection out of love for us sinners to be saved.

That’s a powerful message and a far more valuable message than the perfections or attempts of perfection from man!

Mans greatest achievement in life is Christ!

Mans greatest accomplishments in life comes from the power of Christ lived through a broken and weak vessel which shouts out LOUD the marvelous wonderful grace and mercy of God!!  Which shouts out LOUD the victorious life we have in Christ and that blessed truth that one day, this bondage of sin will be abolished forever!  Which shouts out LOUD that God loves the sinner and shares His perfection with our broken messed up lives, so that He and He alone can receive ALL the glory and honor forever and ever!

“My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever”.                 ~ Psalm 73:26

See link below to read about this family.  Please pray for them!

Beloved Pastor Spoke of Mental Health Struggle to Congregation Just Days Before Committing Suicide — Watch His Final Sermon

http://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2018/august/pastors-wife-pens-heartbreaking-public-message-after-his-suicide-these-are-the-words-i-would-say-to-him

After the Recent Manchester terror attack in England…

I saw on the news, reports of crowds of people attending prayer vigils in support of the victims and families. Crowds were gathered… standing still, standing silent as the leader of the gathering lit candles and offered “a moment of silence” held on behalf of the victims and families.

My brain tinkered, “Silence… really?”  It’s questionable to me why we honor “a moment of silence?”

What does that even mean?

I had to ask my self… why in the world do we collectively offer a moment of silence?
What does silence even accomplish?

As I contemplated this apparent new social norm.  I thought… I’m not sure about others and I can only speak for myself.  But, if a tragedy were to hit my family, I would surly hope people would not offer my family and I “a moment of silence.”  I would more surely be eager and appreciative for a moment of prayer instead.

How in the world have we gotten so politically correct that we cannot even come together as a community, or as a society and pray to God on behalf of others?

Prayer can actually accomplish something for people, but what does a moment of silence do?  The idea that we cannot publicly say “I’m praying for you” seems preposterous to me.

So instead, we stand within our crowds and we offer as a community, as a country and as a society, “a moment of silence” to those who have experienced the most heinous tragedy of a lifetime.

We stop what we are doing and hold still while the master of the ceremony say’s… “we now will offer a moment of silence on behalf of the victims and their families.”  Really??? Silence, is what we offer them?

How many of us in our deepest time of need say to others, “can you please offer me a moment of silence, we are really having a difficult time right now?”

Just to even phrase it, sounds goofy to me!

Of course we do not do that.  What we typically do in our deepest and darkest moments (even if we are not people of faith) is to ask for those who are people of faith to please pray for us.

Why? Because I believe deep inside each of us, is the knowledge that there is someone greater than ourselves out there in this enormous place we call our world.

For some, they may call “the greater’ a higher power.  For others, they may call “the greater” Jehovah.  For some, Baba.  For some it may be aliens.  Some call it Mohamed.  For some, it is Jesus and for most they simply call “the greater”, God.

It is actually very few people who believe there is not someone “greater” out there than we the person.

It actually takes much more faith to believe there is not a God of this universe than to believe there is.  All you have to do is take a serious look around at nature and science to know someone greater than us, must exist.

And, although it is only a small minority who believe in nothing greater than they.  Our society as the majority once again, aqueous her voices to their belief and offers “a moment of silence” rather than public prayer so as not to offend their lack of faith in God.

I am deeply astounded by how we as a society continue to bow down for the minority, rather, than the other way around.

You see it demonstrated on a daily basis throughout life.  It was only a small minority who many years ago pressed to take prayer out of our schools, while the majority offered our own “moments of silence” until a law was eventually passed to prevent us from praying in any public schools across this county.  (As if prayer in schools harmed anyone except the conscience of the few persons in that school who choose to believe in nothing greater than themselves).

It was the small minority who initially raised their voices to legalize abortion, while the mass majority offered “a moment of silence” as Roe versus Wade changed the landscape for American babies for years to come.

It is today, still (believe it or not) a small minority who pulls the stings behind the scenes in our political and social scenes, to ultimately alter the course of American life from what we know it, or once knew it… to what they want it to be.
And, it is this same small minority who tells us, in our nation or any nation, at times of distress and great tragedy.  At times of great need, that we should all publicly hover together in one accord and offer one another “a moment of silence.”

Heck no! Not this voice.

This voice is willing to respect the minorities lack of faith in God, by not forcing on them my own belief.  However, this voice is not willing to aqueous and turn over my belief and faith in God to the faithless by standing in “a moment of silence.”

So while the crowd stands without voices, hovered together in the corporate meaningless moment of silence, as if to accomplish something.

You can be sure, this voice will rather be speaking to The God whom hears on behalf of those who have a great and desperate need.

This voice will be calling out to a God in whom my faith names as Yahweh and as Jesus. This voice will speak up to beg for His grace, His mercy His peace and His comfort for the lives of the hurting in their time of great need.

And, it is this voice, which speaks up at this moment to publicly proclaim… When the day of trail approaches for myself or for my family (because eventually a little rain must come to each of our lives).

In that day, would you please not offer us “a moment of silence.”  But, would you rather, with my permission, raise up your voice and offer us your voices of prayer to our God who is named Jehovah of the Old Testament and Jesus of the New Testament.  For it is He who is, The God who hears!

2 Chronicles 7:14
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

James 5:16
“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

What if God Celebrated Mothers Day in Heaven?

As this day has approached.  We in our world yet again, take the time to celebrate the moms of the world…  we do so in so many ways.   Kids everywhere and every age, take a moment to reflect on the beauty of their own mom.   They write expressions of gratitude in cards to try the  best they can to express the love and appreciation  they feel for their moms.  Flowers are cut, arranged, sold and purchased to share with moms everywhere to brighten their days.

We do presentations at schools where the kids get to showcase their talent to make their mamas giggle and smile with proud joy.   Sometimes schools plan days to honor moms with a luncheon and a short devotional to encourage moms in their most honored and special job!  Restaurants are bustling with families of all kinds, as moms are celebrated with food and feasts.

But, I cannot help but think of some moms and some kids that experience an ache in their hearts on this day.

Moms who have lost a child as they try their best to hide the fact that a huge hole is weeping inside of them.   All the while, at the same time, experience the joy of their children whom are still present today!

Kids who try to shake the absence of a favored and special mom who always made them feel like the most special person in the world, even with all their flaws.  They too experience a sort of subtle sadness as they miss their Mom.

Then there are others that never had a mom and wonder what all the hub bub is all about?  Kids and adults who had a mom who was unfit, or who abandoned them for a different kind of life.  Moms who wonder where their lost child is today and if they will survive another day on the streets.  Moms who are at odds with a child and only wish for a loving embrace or even a phone call to say hello, I am thinking of you today!   Moms who live with regret by mistakes they have made in their “mommy role of life”… those who failed to protect the child they adore when something bad happened to their child whom they did not, nor could not, protect.

So many emotions envelope this day!

As I consider some of these relationships with moms.  I consider this idea…

What if God celebrated Mother’s Day in heaven?

What kind of ceremony would take place?  I can imagine moms who have passed from earth to the glorious place we call heaven, standing up amongst a massive assembly boasting of the love and adoration they have for their children still on earth.  I think if they could, they would pull out all their favorite pictures of their precious kids and proudly portrait them on the heavenly screens for all those in attendance to admire.

You would see countenances of joy and adoration everywhere.  No where would negative memories be seen.  One by one each mom would make their way to the platform with perfect peace to boast about their prized possessions… Their children!

Next you would see children of all ages, from the tiniest to the most aged… take their turn to honor the mom who birthed them, and for some who adopted them!  They too would strut their stuff as they walked the down the flowered decorated path, dressed in their best and most appropriate outfit to represent their mom proudly.   At the microphone they would announce to all those present… their admiration, their love and their deep appreciate for their mom and how much she has meant to them.

Once again, never once would a mistake be mentioned… only true love and adoration would be spoken.  Memories shared of all the moments of sacrifice, the labor of love and the character of their mom, whom they so deeply love.

Some moms would be in the audience with joyous smiles, full hearts and of course joyful tears streaming down their faces as they listen with an element of pure pride as their child speaks so highly of them.

Other moms who are left on earth are not able to witness such a ceremony on their behalf.  I would imagine the other moms in the room singing out for them and praising God for such an amazing woman, as they clap and pray for the mama who is still on earth with a nagging hole in her heart, missing her child!

I can imagine some asking God if He would send a special blessing to each mom on earth today.  And, I can imagine each child presenting their own prayers on behalf of their prized mama to God.

“Father, will you please show my Mom today that I am thinking of her and how much I adore and love her.”  “Please tell her how much I miss her and how much I cannot wait for her to join me here.”  “I cannot wait to show her how well you have been taking care of me,  I want to show her my mansion too!”  “She is gonna love my room and how it is decorated!”

“Father, Can you please drop a flower or a special tune in her ear to remind her of me.  I just want her to know I am thinking of her today.”   “Can you please leave one of my old notes or toys around so she stumbles on it today?”… “Anything, anything, to remind her I am thinking of her and love her so much.”  “I am so proud she is my mama!”

I can imagine Jesus as the MC of this amazing ceremony.  I can imagine as the ceremony comes to a close… Jesus introduces to all present, His Mama.  And as she rises to her feet and makes her way humbly down the path, she is honored amongst all present.

Maybe, He would share funny stories of some of his moments in life where he left her confused by his actions?  She may share about what a special child He was and how her heart broke as she witnessed his suffering and death.   I believe she, with all confidence and authority would share to all those present, the amazing love of her child and how His love and sacrifice was born from the ONE we call love!

I believe she would encourage all mama’s present that this kind of Love, is a gift from God and He has chosen it to be placed in mother’s hearts from the moment their child is born.

This Love is called Agape love!  A love which is unconditional!  It’s the language of love which every true mama speaks.

Its a gift that keeps on giving!

Its given by God to the heart of a mom and passed on from generation to generation.   For this, we Thank God!  For He is the one who birthed this love in us and for this reason we adore our moms everywhere on earth and the other side of heaven.

For the love a mother is truly the closest kind of love to the Father above!   What a gift to be a mom and what a gift to have a mom!

Happy Mother’s Day to all the beautiful recipients and representers of Gods beautiful Love!

“The Lord Bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;  The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.”  Numbers 6:24-26

Coming back to this page after two years of not publishing any writing is a bit awkward.  Why have I stayed away so long?  What caused me to stop posting in this blog spot?  This was suppose to be a place for me to share an honest and authentic expression of myself and to allow the practice of writing.

I will tell you in two words what stopped me.  I was … Scared Silent!

Thats right, when I first posted here, I felt I was on an adventure of waking up my voice to speak things that had meaning to me and me alone.   So what happened then?

People stated reading, that’s what happened!

That was my first hiccup anyway.  The thought that someone was reading what was going on in my heart and head was frightening to me.

When I started this blog, you will see in one of my first posts where I expressed that I did not, in anyway, want to post pretentiously.  I figured that’s what Facebook is for.  HaHa!  But seriously, we have enough social media spots where people post the best and only the best about themselves.  I am quite bored of seeing the perfect portraits of what we all hope ourselves to be, rather than the honest portrait of who we are.   Facebook for me is just that.

So I made a promise to myself… this blog spot would be a place to work out issues of my heart honestly.   To speak authentically and openly, And to type with my fingers boldly.

That was easy, as long as no one was listening.

Then, as I began to understand there were listeners to my disfunction and struggles, I cringed a bit, actually a great bit!  But, I push forward so as to speak what was on my heart regardless.

Then the next hiccup came…

I was told people were reading my post and ascribing their own motive and their own directive to what I was saying.  Some even developed their own idea of why I was posting in the first place.  I was accused of writing specifically about a particular group of people in a few of my posts.

“Wait?  This is my blog” I thought.

If you read my blog post and how I have written them, without formulating a motive from your own agenda, you will see clearly the post are about me.  They are about how I feel.  How I think.  How I see things.

It is my voice speaking, no ones else’s but mine.

Of course, I do use life situations as word pictures to express ideas that are formulating in me. Yet, still the outcome is about me.  I was told at one point specifically…

“Everyone knows your writing about us.”

Really? … Everyone?

“Who is everyone” I thought to myself?  I think instinctively I knew what was coming next, but still it blind sided me.

“Will you take your post down?” I was asked.

“Are you crazy!” I screamed in my mind.  However, the words that actually came out were firm, yet gracious, if even a bit disregarding to my true emotions inside.

“No, I will not.”  I replied.  “This is my blog, my voice and about me.  If people suspect it is about them or someone else, they can ask me rather than talk to others about it.”

I was determined not be controlled about how I am to think, or how I am allowed to feel.  I will blog, I will write, I will express who I am… I have a right, to my own voice.

I felt a small victory rise up in me that day.  To stand up for myself.  To stand up for what I knew to be right, regardless to how others decided to interpret my motives and intentions.

A small victory for a moment, yet 2 years followed by a stunted & silenced voice.

That was enough to close my lips and to stop my fingers from tapping the keyboard to my computer.  But, even though it has been 2 long years since I last wrote, it was not enough to stop my brain from thinking, nor to stop my heart from feeling, nor was it enough to stop my voice… permanently!

Today, I pick back up.  No longer writing in stealth, nor allowing any assaulting words and actions of others to silence me any longer.  No longer worried what the reader thinks.  Back to the drawing board if you will, to express my heart, to unravel my thoughts and to practice my voice, by typing in this place yet again.

To those who read here… you are welcome to read.   You are welcome to connect to my thought process… or not.  You are welcome to disagree with me, to dislike my style and to be perturbed by my unpretentious posts.

However, you are not welcome to hinder me from expressing myself any longer.  You are no longer… the critique that Scares me Silent.

On August 31, 2015, I ran across a women named Cheryl whom I met in a coffee shop in Bisbee, Arizona.  For some reason we connected and began a conversation.  She happened to be a writer and an artist.  We had an honest discussion about writing and I expressed to her that I was having a block with writing based on “fear of the reader.”   The words below are a quote from her, that I immediately wrote down because it spoke to my heart.

“When you write and share it publicly, it now no longer belongs just to you.  You are not responsible for how others perceive it.  You are authentic in the creation of it. You will have some who will criticize, but you will also have those who love it.  The more people that hate it, you will find there will be that many more that will love it.”  ~ Cheryl (Bisbee coffee shop)

Thank you Cheryl for these words.  They helped me this day to finally post again and to be honest to the reason I lost my voice in writing.

“A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, But when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken.”                 ~ Proverbs 15:13 (NAS)  

In a women’s world, it can be challenging to meet the standards!

What do I mean?

We have so many standards that have been erected in our “world of women.”  Women vary like the stars in the sky.  We all twinkle in a different manner.  I am not sure where standards get set among us, but some how we have a un-penetrable code, so complex that it seems even we women cannot crack it.

To get along with one woman we must be like this.  However, to be embraced by the women next to her… we need to be like that!  I often feel like women need to have a schizophrenic personality order to be accepted with “all” women.

… It seems not so with men?

It seems men have this unspoken code that it is acceptable, even admirably cool to just be themselves.  Rarely, do I see a man adjusting his personality to fit in.  However, on the flip side… seldom, do I see a woman not adjusting herself in the women’s world of interpersonal communications!

What a complex world.

Sometimes, I see a woman who comes along with the simple freedom to just be herself!  I am always intrigued how she arrived there.  Did she ever struggle with this dueling dynamic, or did it take lessons of rejection for her to finally rest in her uniqueness?  Either way… I admire her confidence and style!

Over the years I have witnessed countless women stranded on the uneven streets of women friendships…

Longing to fit in…  Hurt and despondent…  Lonely…… Desperate for inclusion, yet delirious from exclusion! 

I’ve witnessed women who have deliberately changed ways about themselves just to be included in a circle of friendship.  But, I have also witnessed women who have been excluded from those same circles because they have refused to conform to a new personality.

They refused to be stamped with a group’s seal of approval.

I have watched in perplexity as to why this dynamic repeats itself time and time again?  It’s like a rewind to junior high that has morphed into circles of grown mature women.  What gives?

It can be easy for many (including myself) to be seen at times as walking around with a hard shelled candy coating of un-penetrable defenses, which wrap around our lives protecting ourselves from those of our own breed called “woman!”

Those who have peeled back their layer of candy coating appear to be the freest!  However, I have not figured out yet, if they are the most liked?

Maybe that’s the key!

We must get to a place in life that it doesn’t matter to us if we’re liked.  It doesn’t matter if the crowd accepts us.  It doesn’t matter if those who have written the code have stamped a letter of acceptance upon our hard candy shell coating to allow us to be associated with their own uniformed crowd.

Our breed, which is naturally and instinctually called to be nurtures.  Our breed, which so beautifully demonstrates an innate ability to wrap arms around little beings to fill them and mold them in the warmth of love.  This breed which by Gods design is to be filled with compassion and care.  This breed to which we women belong, has allowed an imposter to penetrate our walls…

Our breed, has allowed another “C” to sneak in…  The “C” of Comparison!

How is it that the very ones that God has equipped with such beautiful compassion and care to fill others lives, are the same ones who measure out comparison in such a degree that it has become a measuring rod as to who deserves this love and care?

The beauty of our breed “is” our compassion and care!

The beauty of our breed “is” that we love others to fill their lives, not that we withhold love to diminish it!

The beauty of our breed “is” that we are unified in a category of our own.  Different as different can be, yet unified under the compassionate, caring category called “Woman!”

When we allow our breed to live according to God’s ordained ways, we will be the kind of woman God has equipped and has intended us to be!

When we kick out that horrible impostor of comparison and embrace “All” women of our breed as acceptable … we allow each of us to twinkle in our own unique way and to learn from the other “man breed” what is meant by… “It is admirably cool to be different!” 

Matter of fact, when we do this…

We embrace difference!   

We allow differences! 

We, once again admire difference as that which makes us so uniquely diverse that we, the “breed of woman” can fulfill our God given ability to…

Fill OTHERS lives!  

… And in doing so, we help to shape and mold each other’s lives with a “C” shaped edge of Care and Compassion!  Carving out the discriminating “c” which stands for “comparison”  and trading it instead for the “C” which Cultivates our Circles of friendships so they will no longer remain small and exclusive, but rather large and inclusive having a positive influence on ALL!

“Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”  ~ Luke 10:30-35  (NKJV) 

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” ~ Colossians 3:12 (NIV)

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” ~ Galatians 6:2 (NKJV)

“Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;” ~  1 Peter 3:8 (NKJV)

“Then the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying,  “Thus says the Lord of hosts:    ‘Execute true justice, Show mercy and compassion  Everyone to his brother.  Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless,The alien or the poor.  Let none of you plan evil in his heart Against his brother.’” ~ Zechariah 7:8-10 (NKJV)

“So you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything.” ~  2 Corinthians 2:7-9 (ESV)

“But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children.”           ~ 1 Thessalonians 2:7 (ESV)

“You are my friends if you do what I command.” ~John 15:14 (NLT)

“Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Christ Jesus.”              

~ 1 Peter 2:4-5

As I contemplate some of my fears in life…

Which include great heights, spiders, snakes, vomiting, scary movies, Ferris wheels, betrayal, and loss of a loved one or physical pain.  One fear that has been particularly difficult for me and would rank closer to the top of my list of fears would have to be my fear of rejection!

I am certain many reading this post would rank rejection as being towards the top of their list of fears as well.   Maybe not their most debilitating, but certainly one that can send a shiver down your spine.

I don’t think there are any of us that would wish to draw the straw of rejection!

Most of us have experienced a dose of this poison in our lives, some a double portion!  Whether it is as a pre-teen dealing with the yo-yo friendships that come with being a junior high girl.  The rejection one feels from a high-school break up, the horrific ramifications that are birthed out of a parent’s divorce or your own divorce.

The boy who never noticed you even though you fawned over him and tried with all your being to muster up enough courage to ask him to dance.  Rejection when a dad does not show up to an event that was special to you.

Being left out of the crowd, uninvited to a party or only partially invited.  Being told you’re not good enough, inadequate or unsuitable.

Trusted as a friend one day only to be disapproved another day depending upon the crowd that happened to be surrounding you.

Ignored, not asked to participate, not welcomed to visit, not allowed to speak, not enjoyed, not liked!

I never really struggled with rejection when it came to achieving something.  Somehow, if I put my mind to it, I was determined to win the race, beat the boy in kick ball, climb higher than the boys or at least as high. Run faster, out smart, out wit, out last.

Competitive as I may have been…when it came to relationships, here is where I found myself left to stand or sit on the sidelines waiting, hoping to be picked for anything, but last!

With the exception of my most amazing husband… My family members and my dear friends.  I still sometimes find myself sitting in the all too familiar seat of rejection when it comes to certain halls of relationships!

Like a rubber band that stretches only to snap back and sting the fingers holding the end of the band.  Rejections have had this same recoiling, rebounding, snapping effect!

Recently I was reacquainted with this snapping foe!

And although such an event standing on its own, would cause any one of us say… Quite your winning!  Get over it!  However, with each repetitive snap eventually it shreds open the skin, tear and penetrate with much more than a simple stinging pain.

It creates a wound that either never heals or once it does, leaves a sensitive tender scar that even the slightest touch could leave you screeching in pain!

Rejection can leave us in many ways to be a beggar in life.

Begging for attention, for validation that people are not qualified to give.  Begging for love, acceptance, kindness, and grace, for identity!  Begging for the very things that are freely offered to us by God.

As a beggar we sit stranded in a lonely heap, despondently hoping for man to fill the emptiness, the void this world has carved out of us, leaving upon us a vacant, bruised wound so vast, so deep, and so debilitating!  A gap that only He, only God can possibly know what is needed to mend and make perfect!

We can so easily occupy the seat of a lonely beggar. 

When we find ourselves on any given day sitting in a heap of despondency, afflicted and bruised. Be reminded to …

Look Up!  

Call out!  

Stand up! 

Change your clothes and, Move Forward!  Even when devoid of the emotion to do so!   

For what this world has to offer is only the crumbs left behind from the feast that God is preparing in heaven for those who love Him!  Our best days on earth will be our worst day in heaven.  And if there were even such thing as a worst day in heaven, it would still be greater than our very best day ever experienced here on earth!  Our future can be nothing but bright if heaven is our final destination!

But as it is written:  “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man, The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”                                                                ~ 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NKJV)

….. She slipped in and sat in the last row.  Many people slowly trickled in and found their seats.  Mostly they filled in from the front to the back to afford a great view of what they eagerly had come to witness.

Empty seats surrounded her and faces unknown sat in front of her.   She felt comfortable and confident in her familiar seat of solitude.

Suddenly familiar faces entered.

Some of them she had known for many years.  Their eyes scanned the rows looking for the perfect seat… A quick subtle smile fashioned their faces as they exchanged a quick glance with her.  They seemed to pause as if to determined where to sit.  To her… it seemed they might be, in that split second, deciding whether to sit in the empty seats next to her?

They settled in seats within proximity of her, but not close enough to engage in conversation.  She was saddened that after so my years of acquaintance there was not enough of a bond for them to sit together amongst the many other faces of strangers?

Next, another of whom she had known for even more years confidently strolled in wearing and adorable yet spunky style that looked like something a model would be seen wearing splashed on the front page of magazine cover.  Her confidence allowed her to pull this outfit off perfectly!

As she approached, she immediately noticed the familiar faces and gave them all excited greetings!

The warmth of friendship filled the air!

She peaked around the room to notice the seating arrangement… Her eyes searched looking for the perfect place to sit.  She seemed to evaluate each row.   However, from the sitters vantage point, it appeared she was being careful not to allow her eyes to connect or to land upon the one who sat alone in the back row.  This one who sat staring intently at her, waiting for their eyes to meet so she could be included in a welcoming hello!

However, her evaluating eyes shifted quickly away from this back row sitter and focused instead upon the familiar faces that had entered before her, she too recognized them and lit up with delight as they embraced each other with expressive loving eye contact.  Noticing they had open seats next to them, she decided to sit close to them and they embraced each other with warm hugs and intimate conversation!

Friendship once again filled the air for everyone… except for the one in the back row.

The one in the back row continued looking at this individual hoping for an opportunity of acknowledgement. An opportunity which never came… even though it appeared to be pretty certain this sassy dressed lady knew the one sitting alone was gathered amongst the crowd.

Suddenly, this lonely sitter felt her own confidence shrink, it seemed to slip away with every passing minute she was ignored.

She was left wondering?

She searched her mind for a reason as to why she may be deserving of this?  No matter how hard she searched, she could not find a reason that warranted this kind of avoidance.

Tick, tick, tick… Minutes continued to pass and she began to notice herself adorned with an old familiar unfashionable accessory.

Her neck felt the tightening, as if someone was lacing a ribbon around her neck from which hung that ugly, but familiar scarlet cord.  She fought the feelings of what this ribbon represented.

Rejection!  

An inward battle ensued and a flood of memories of multiple experiences over the years slammed to the front of her mind!  As mush as she resisted the ribbon. It seemed to be latched tighter and tighter with every minute that passed.

Emotions scrambled to the scene…

Confusion… Why???

Anger… Really!!!  Why is it that some people come across as arrogant in his or her own confidence; so selective in whom they will equate value to?

Loneliness…  She felt exposed in those elements! Shivers of loneliness ran through her veins. At that moment she wished to have a friend in the crowd who would validate her existence! Someone who would lend credibility to her value!

Sadness… Grieved in an environment where love was supposed to be the glue that bound them together.  She felt such sadness due to the temperature, which was so often set towards her at such a chilly degree.  A cold setting amongst the people we hope to demonstrate red-hot love!

Sadness seemed to be the prevailing emotion at that moment!  

If only she understood…

Why particular folk felt compelled to ignore her?  She would gladly make personal necessary changes, if indeed there were a valid complaint against her.  However, after years of having this cord cinched and re-cinched around her neck, at times to be worn as a debilitating choker.  It has left her tired, despondent and honestly disturbed!

She prayed…  She asked God to allow what she had experienced over the years, to afford her such empathy for the rejected!

She prayed... Asking that she herself would not be characterized with this kind of behavior towards others.

She pleaded… she especially pleaded; She would not deliver back to her rejector’s the unbecoming behavior they so freely presented and offered her at most, if not all, of their impromptu meetings.

She pleaded instead for grace!  

The grace… To give what she does not receive!

The grace… To set her temperature higher for those who presently shiver her out.

The grace… Not to be vengeful.

The grace… To trust God to be her defender.

And…

The grace… To love even those, who for whatever reason, present themselves as unlovable to her!

For by Grace…

… It is only by grace that she, herself is able to stand before The One (Jesus) whom she had once offended, insulted, ignored, misunderstood and even rejected!  And despite her offenses, He set His temperature higher… and in doing so, He set the standard of love that we should all strive to follow! 

“If I had the gift of being able to speak in other languages without learning them and could speak in every language there is in all of heaven and earth, but didn’t love others, I would only be making noise.  If I had the gift of prophecy and knew all about what is going to happen in the future, knew everything about everything, but didn’t love others, what good would it do? Even if I had the gift of faith so that I could speak to a mountain and make it move, I would still be worth nothing at all without love.  If I gave everything I have to poor people, and if I were burned alive for preaching the Gospel but didn’t love others, it would be of no value whatever.”

“Love is very patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud, never haughty or selfish or rude. Love does not demand its own way. It is not irritable or touchy. It does not hold grudges and will hardly even notice when others do it wrong.  It is never glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever truth wins out.  If you love someone, you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him.”  ~ 1 Corinthians 13:1-7 (TLB)

“There are three things that remain—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.”  ~ 1 Corinthians 13:13 (TLB)

“This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.”  ~ Hebrews 6:19 (NLT)

I am thinking of a word with only four, small, insignificant letters.  Letters, which seem glued together to form a word that some how allows people to endure many of life’s greatest challenges.

A simple, yet profound word… Hope!   

How many of us have needed at one time or another to hang on to this word, like holding on to a helium balloon, as if to allow it to lift us out of a season of utter despair!

Whether it be a broken promise, divorce, the death of a loved one, a bully, depression, confusion, violence, misery, doubt, loneliness, questioning, illness, betrayal, disasters, poverty, starvation, abandonment and the list goes on…

One thing is for certain, without hope, without the confident trust things will get better; we could drown in the misery of despair.

Without hope, we sink as if to have our ankles shackled in the powerful suction of quick sand.

Despair invades our world like a storm that rolls in suddenly, shadowing our lives under dark ominous clouds, which appear to be thundering in violent strength.

When a storm of this magnitude hits our life region, we shake!  Our foundation shifts beneath us, causing us to wobble in disequilibrium.  We falter in uncertainty and scramble as we try desperately to erase our confused understanding.   Left unsheltered and vulnerable.  The showering of some storms of life, leave many drenched in despair!

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)

Hope seems to pull back our eyelids to see beyond the dreary.  Sight for even the slightest moments can propel us further on the road of endurance.  Step by step plodding along, feeble yet confident… Hanging on to Hope!

Hoping the future will surpass in delight the temporary pain that has latched on like a leach sucking every bit of strength and stamina needed to lift one foot in front of the other in order to reach the future.

I recently witnessed the benefits of this ministry of hope.

It wasn’t opened on the hinges of a miracle.  Nor was it delivered through a well-prepared teaching.  It wasn’t presented by some amazing performance either.  Rather, it came by way of a simple act of hospitality.

Inviting a broken and wounded sole into our home.  Enjoying an ordinary dinner, granting him the opportunity to take a walk with his boys, alone in the dark secluded desert.

Headlamps strapped on their heads so they can spot the shinny eyes of the wolf spider as their lamplights created a reflection to take place, which caused the night desert to glow like millions of stars on the ground.  Most precious, I assume… Was to walk alone together without the supervising eyes of others focused upon them.  The privilege for them to just be a dad and two sons with freedom to communicate in a style and liking of their own.

Upon their return we together sat, lounged on the couch to witness an event that will likely be penned in the history books.  November 7th, 2013, Reverend Billy Graham gave his last evangelical crusade in our living room and in the living room of millions of viewers across this country.

We sat with eyes fixed on the TV.  Mesmerized by His message of Hope!

This dad snuggled in contentment with his two young boys in our living room along with Troy and Myself.   After it ended, we talked about how inspiring Billy Graham’s faithful life was to the Call of God and to the message of the Gospel of Hope.

It spurred conversation in a personal way…   Eventually we landed at a most memorable moment of silence!

The moment lingered like stale air as we watched this dad become lost in deep contemplative thinking as he stalled… staring at his oldest son, who sat slouched as if to express anguish, confusion and despair.

The moment seemed too intimate to interrupt with words.

Even though that moment seemed to pause time and allowed minutes to stretch into longer segments of time. Somehow we sat in comfort in this space of time that may have, in a normal situation, felt awkward without words.

This memory will be burnt permanently in my mind…

A dad sat trying with all his strength to hold back the floodgates of emotions that seemed to be bubbling and brewing inside of him.  Lips began quivering, eyes welt up with tears, eventually leading to gentle, but uncontrolled sobs against his every attempt to hold it together.

We all sat there and cried in silence.  Secret fervent prayers of mine alternated with tears.  Not one word was spoken out loud, but somehow we sensed deep healing, intense grief and volumes of communication inhabited those marvelous ten minutes between a dad and his son.  Regardless to the fact that no biology bonded these two as family, only love and relationship was their glue.

The Spirit of God visited us in that modest moment!

We had no idea going into our ordinary evening that what began with a simple act of hospitality would allow the ministry of hope to so eloquently explode before our eyes! Sharing an evening with a broken and contrite man and a simple demonstration of faith by a man proven to be faithful named Reverend Billy Graham.  Provided a way for great ministry to take place and hope was birth through the walls of anguish!

The shackles of despair released that evening and the balloon of hope inflated to raise confidence and trust that some how, in a way still unknown… Things were going to work out and family restoration may indeed be beginning to sprout!

That night will be a forever reminder not to lose heart in the storms of life, because…

The God of Hope still shows up unannounced! 

Hope unfolds more hope… until all were left holding is the Hand of God when we stand in His glorious presence on our future day of Hope!

“But now, Lord, what do I look for?  My hope is in you.”  ~  Psalm 39:7 (NIV)  

Why am I discouraged?  Why is my heart so sad?  I will put my hope in God!  I will praise him again— my Savior and my God!  Psalm 43:5 (NLT)

Here’s a silly little ditty to describe our last two months…  We’ve had many do overs and a lot of re-runs.

BELOW IS A SCRAPBOOK OF SEVERAL SATURDAY ADVENTURES:

“A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.”

~ Proverbs 17:22

 

“He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you; But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God? ~ Micah 6:8 (NKJV)

… Do I dare to develop these thought out loud?  I breathed this phrase as I sputtered water through my lips that splashed across my face while standing beneath the gushing shower-head…

I have so many thoughts that rumble in my mind…

He seemed to speak loud over the pounding water which muffled my ears to the noise around me.  Whether it is the mundane duty of showering or the blow-drying of my hair, it seems while doing those simple everyday tasks, I hear Him best as He speaks deeply into my being.

Many times the deepest of understandings come to me in those moments. I have often wondered why when I am most vulnerable and most unbecoming does He choose to show up to have a visit?

Could it be… here,  when I am doing a well-worn repetitive action that my mind rests in thinking about the task at hand and can instead hear His whispers?  In the movement of these ordinary tasks, where my mind is quite enough, silent enough to hear Him talk in His still small voice.

Over the years I have learned for whatever reason, this is most often my time of visitation from Him.   He speaks at other times too, especially in my devotion time… But since my shower follows after, it’s in those unbecoming moments that a thought or understanding becomes fully developed within me.  It’s here that I seem to learn at my deepest level of understanding.

Mostly, I cherish it!  

Except when it is something so rich I don’t want to forget it.  Such as a song, a poem or a real meaty truth! In those moments having to step away momentarily from the task at hand to write it down, can at times be inconvenient.

Soaking wet standing with a pen in hand scribbling my nuggets down while a puddle forms under my feet.   Or repeating over and over out loud the thought to try not to forget even one small word before the task is complete.   That one is especially hard these days as my aged memory skips a beat from time to time.

One thought that has rattled through the fibers of my mind is a thought on the topic of pretension.  This thought has rattled around enough that there seems to be dents in the fragments of my thinking.

Pretension? 

What does that mean anyway? Such a big word seems fitting for its meaning!  As I looked it up, it seemed I needed another dictionary to understand the words used to describe it’s meaning.

Pretension: – An aspiration or claim to a certain status or quality.  The use of affectation to impress; ostentatiousness. 

I could almost hear my voice inflection dramatized as I read those definitions.  Even the definition caused me to speak in a theatrical tone.   I turned the pages to find the meaning of the next word…

Affectation: – Behavior, speech or writing that is artificial and designed to impress.  

And then to the next…

Ostentation: – Pretentious and vulgar display, especially in wealth and luxury, intended to impress or attract notice.  (Showiness, display, flamboyance, extravagance, exhibitionism).

1. Pretentious display meant to impress others; boastful showiness.

2. An unnecessary display of wealth, knowledge, etc., that is done to attract attention, admiration, or envy.

Synonyms for pretension: – Grandiose, highfalutin, high-minded, la-di-da, Pompous, snippy, ostentatious.

Synonyms for Ostentatious: – Extravagant, gaudy, glittery, splashy, pretentious, boastful, crass, egotistic, grandiose, loud, obtrusive, peacocky, pompous, spectacular, theatrical, vulgar, vain.

Antonyms for Pretentious: – Modest. Unpretentious.

I got the picture!  This word, this ugly word, made me want to look at my own style.  It made me want to inspect to see if my attitude displayed this even in the shadow of my manners. I looked in. Then I looked around…

It seemed to be seen everywhere!  No matter the place, this word seemed to parade it’s self on the backs of people!

But, I must admit… I disdained it most when I saw it clothed in my own life.  I cringed when circumstances caused me to feel most safe when wearing those pretentious pants of perfection.

I wanted to speak my mind to the person or persons who thought them to be fashionable in the first place.  Somewhere along my life journey, I must have seen those pants draped on a mannequin of another life?  Somewhere, along the way I must have seen those pants strutting along screaming a statement of fashion? How else and why else would I ever consider wearing them!

Today I see those pants, those pretentious pants of perfection, worn in many different circles and in all different kinds of styles!  Apparently, not only I heard the message!   Unfortunately, many men and women of faith also have been seen wearing those pants.  Maybe because that’s the crowd I most often hang with, so naturally I would see it there?  Or maybe, it’s because they too were programmed to believe pretension is perfectly fashionable!

I pounder what the frock of humility is to look like and why so few of us desire to wear it? Could that garment be sparkly or is it only considered to be drab? Could it boast of color or make only a statement of neutral or black and white? Would it be a pattern cut from a common theme or uniquely fashioned with beads, pockets and a flattering neckline?  Could it be fashionable or is it just simply frumpy?

What if it was just simply frumpy?  Would we then instead purchase those mass produced pretentious pants so we might fit in with the crowd of perfect?  Or would we opt for the ordinary, simple, frock? You know, the one that no longer captures your attention in the display window.  But instead is hidden amongst many out dated garments crowded together on the clearance rack at the back of the store.

I flipped the pages backward in my mind to observe by memory who I might see sporting this frock? First, out of curiosity of who wore it? Then, who wore it in such a way that it could be labeled fashionable?  Looking in the most obvious places, nothing immediately surfaced.  Then, suddenly I began to see faces.

The more I moved away from the obvious.  The more I moved away from the crowds.  To more obscure locations, behind the screen.  There, is where I saw the most beautiful! There, many precious unpretentious people gathered in small circles.

Not dressed for success with coordinated colors… Not flashy or dazzling with perfect speech.  Not sporting the most fashionable seasonal styles.  But simply, framed with the gentle garments of humility.

Their temperament spoke of…  Acceptance. Cooperation. Unity. Love. Compassion. Uniquely displayed under the simple frock of humility. Gathered together amongst the most unassuming of people!

Honestly, I once believed to wear that frock was somewhat less desirable than those dazzling perfect pants!  But as I have spent more and more time in the dressing room of life, I have come to realize…

The frock of humility is more unique, more original, subtler and far more dazzling in beauty than any pair of pretentious pants, no matter whom is strutting em!

I have come to realize… Those who dare sport this style of humility are far more secure, far more sincere, far more free, far more safe to associate with and anything but frumpy!  And, although it takes time and effort to finally arrive wearing this frock.  Our savings will far out weigh the amount that pretension will cost us in life!

I cherish so much those friends and family members of who have discovered how to be real, to be themselves!  It’s so refreshing to be in their company.  I feel like I can just hang loose in my scrubby clothes with them.  I remember I use to be that way.  What changed? Where did I get comfortable in the pretentious pants of perfection? Who told me to wear those? Did someone tell me or did I choose to dress in that way, thinking I was dressing for success?  Who knows, maybe a bit of both?

I think I would like to instead put back on my old frumpy frock of humility and live real!

As we search the malls of people, we see startling statements of fashion all around. Sometimes it’s too much perfection for me to feel at ease.

Since when and why must we mask up to look perfect?  Who was that person who wore the frock of humility with such dishonor that today it appears to be frumpy?

Why do we fear to fully drape our bodies in this frock?

I remember when I started this blog I swore, not a swear word… But I vowed… I would not blog pretensiously!  I even contemplated the thought that maybe in the spirit of true authenticity I would post a picture of myself that wasn’t polished or posed just like I wanted this blog to be.

I contemplated taking a picture of myself first thing in the morning and posting it. You know in the spirit of being real?  Then an old memory hit my mind…

I remembered back years ago when I was staying with friends at a hotel.  We were waking early to go for a walk/run.  I slipped out of bed, pulled my hair back in a pony and laced my running shoes; I hope I brushed my teeth?  Then, suddenly I heard the questions that I remember to this day.

“Does Troy see you like that?” She blurted!  I am sure it was a statement she wished she could retract.  A bit startled, I replied instantly, “of course he does!” and then we all giggled together at the awkwardness of what each of us was left thinking.

For me, it was obvious… clearly; I was not looking my best!

It’s interesting that I’ve remembered that comment from so many years ago.  It just goes to show us how deep our image portrayed to others really goes!

The funny thing about it is, often in those times is when my husband expresses to me that he thinks I am beautiful!  I am so thankful to have a husband that thinks I am beautiful even in my unpainted state!  I love that I can be myself around him, with no pretense!  I love that he accepts me as imperfect!

As I think of it.  There are not huge crowds in my life I can say that about, but on the others side of that coin… There still are plenty!  Those are the people I cherish most. People, I can just be myself with!  If you’re reading this, chances are it’s you!  So… “Thank You” to all of you precious friends and family out there, whom I feel free to be me with!  I appreciate you so much! More than you know!

Ok, so I decided maybe it wasn’t a terrific idea to post my morning rising photo! Ha-ha! Just thinking of it makes me chuckle!  So I thought?  How about I post a picture that is not so frumpy, and just tell you so!

So here it is!  Here’s my painted posed picture of me.  A view I far better like than my first morning sight!  It’s not perfect! But it’s not phony either; it’s just me how I am most of the time.  Hanging with my 4 most favorite men.  Hanging with 4 fantastic people I feel most free to be around!

“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;  ~ 1 Corinthians 13:4 (NKJV)

“Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.”  And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.”                                                       ~ 1 Kings 19:11-12 (NKJV)

“Let us not be desirous of vainglory, provoking one another, envying one another.”  ~ Galatians 5:26 (KJV)  

“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves.”  ~ Philippians 2:3 (KJV)

“Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.  Better to live humbly with the poor than to share plunder with the proud.”   ~  Proverbs 16:18-19 (NKJV)

“Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honor is humility.”                         ~ Proverbs 18:12 (NKJV)

“Because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and you humbled yourself before Me, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me.  I also have heard you.”                    ~ 2 Chronicles 34:27 (NKJV)