Freshly Activated

I have been going over Sarah Van Dreese’s blog from January on being fully engaged and focusing on living to be the Bride of Christ, and it has really brought thoughts and prayers about the changes in my life and where God would want me to go from here.

October 2023 I fell and broke my leg, consequently ending up in a Rehabilitation Center for several months. Because of being diagnosed with a degenerative muscle disease, natural healing has been slow. Praise God we don’t have to depend on the natural! I am healed and whole, but when I went home in February I fell again. I no longer felt safe in my home by myself, so I chose to come back to the Rehabilitation Center. It is beautiful and new and very expensive but I am loved and very well cared for. I will sell my condo and my “stuff,” for it is just stuff! And God is my supply! But what about my church activities and my ministry? That’s where God gave me some answers through Sarah’s blog.

Here, I want to quote and personalize the end of Sarah’s writing:

“Am I sowing seeds by giving expression to the Fruit of the Spirit in my life?” (Galatians 5:22-25) “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,  meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” I am living in a beautiful but spiritually dark place. I must have the fruits of the Spirit evident about me at all times!

“Am I living out the unique, God given design and purpose for my life?” (Ephesians 2:10) “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” I had to take a moment and ask God to freshly activate His purpose for my life in this season.

And He did! I am one of the younger people in this place. Many are in their 80s and 90s, living in darkness during their last days here on this earth and don’t know Jesus! God has shown me that I can be the Light in this place, that by my attitude and mannerisms they will see Jesus in me. Oh, happy day! I have found that some that have known Jesus in the past have been reminded by my light. Others are willing to accept prayer just because they know they are in the winter of their life.

(Isaiah 26:3-4)  “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord forever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.” 

As I keep my eyes on Jesus I thank Him for the peace He has given me through this unexpected turn in my circumstances. He has been by my side through every decision, placed residents on my heart to pray for, and sent “faith buddies” from my church to fellowship, support, and pray with me. As we focus on being The Bride, let’s introduce Jesus to as many as we can! I am determined to do that as I embrace this new season with joy.