GCR Women

Tuesday was not a good day to be outside. It’s been a while since the wind blew that hard and with it the sand.   Eastern New Mexico blew into West Texas and West Texas blew into Central and East Texas. I think the sky in Fort Worth had more sand in it than Midland’s did.  In some places, the visibility was so low that roads and highway had to be closed for safety. Trucks were blown over on their sides. People had accidents when they couldn’t see where they were going. It was terrible.  Then came Wednesday. Such a peaceful day. Gentle wind. Clear skies. But the sand reminded us the winds had been here.  My back porch was covered by a thin layer of sand. So was my front porch and my car. I could even feel the grit underfoot when I walked on the kitchen tile floor. I’ll need to sweep again and again to clean up the sand. (Note to self:    replace the weatherstripping around the back door.) The whirlwind that unleashed evil into our world left the gritty resid...

In the movie “Tremors,” an argument breaks out between Burt and Val. Burt’s wife tries to calm her husband down by telling him, “I know.  He thinks he knows everything.”   Sometimes I think I know everything, too.  Pride wells up in me and makes me think more of myself than I should. Actually, I’m pretty much like everyone else. I excel at some things and fail at others. I’m often mediocre at best. I’m reminded how little I do know. My life isn’t supposed to be about me becoming the best I can be. The way I understand it, I’m supposed to die to myself and live as Christ. My desire for notoriety and applause should fade to make room for God’s glory shining in what I do, for me to reflect Jesus in every aspect of my life.  At my age, you’d think I would be fully living like Christ but that’s the overachiever in me. Hopefully, my life is reflecting Jesus more each day but my transformation is ongoing. So I press on, as Paul said. I want to know Christ but more than that...

I dreamed of John last night. When I woke, I reached for him, only to realize it was just a dream. But it seemed so real! My dream life and my awake life both have a semblance of reality.    Yet there is an unseen life that is more real than either.  From the moment I was born again, I entered eternal life with God through the precious blood of Jesus.  My eternal life reality sometimes loses its sharpness as I muddle through my other two realities. That happens when I forget who I am, when the world pushes in too hard, demanding my attention. Still, it’s the real reality.  I died to myself and live eternally as Christ. God continually calls me back through His Spirit living in me to see beyond the temporal. What I do here doesn’t stay here. My life, my choices, my actions have eternal consequences.  When I live as Christ and all that that means,…, well,…that’s really living. In Christ - forever! Patrice ‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭6‬:‭19b‬ ‭NIV‬‬ …….take hold of the life...

Sometimes, it’s hard for me to focus. To be honest, it’s more than sometimes.   I sit down to read something and as I read, I realize that instead of paying attention to what I’ve read, I’ve been thinking about my grocery list or something else I need to do and have little to no idea what I’ve been reading.  This happens whether what I’m reading is a novel, a post or the Bible. This happens when I pray, too. And I’m so ashamed. What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I keep my focus on the thing in front of me for even two minutes?! I think part of it is me but a large part is our hurried world. So many things screaming for my attention all at the same time and me not being able to shut out the noise and give my undivided attention to whatever is in front of me.  I particularly want to give God my undivided attention when I’m praying, reading or studying His word, or worshiping Him. He deserves that and more.  I’m thankful that He knows me and He knows my world. He understan...

From the beginning, God has pointed us toward what is next. One step leads to another. That step takes us further. One thought leads to another and that takes us in this direction or that.  When God directs our steps, our future is secure - no matter what happens. The Lord doesn’t misdirect us. He has our best interests in mind. And what are our best interests?  His will.  To know His will, we need to know His word, commune with Him, talk to Him. We can walk so closely with Him that our will is completely aligned with His, moving us toward the ultimate goal God has always had planned.  That’s what I want - to be in sync with the Lord and feel Him guiding my every thought, every step. Which step will we take next?   Patrice Psalms‬ ‭37‬:‭23‬ ‭NIV‬‬ The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him;… ‭

We end where we began. The armor of God protects us from every spiritual battle. Always.   But like any good soldier, being armed is only part of the battle plan. A good soldier stays alert, watching for movements of the enemy, checking his defenses for vulnerabilities.   And most importantly, he stays in touch with his commander, reporting on his situation, listening for “orders from headquarters “ as my dad would say.  Stand. Pray. With God’s armor in place.  Merry Christmas! Patrice Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭18b‬ ‭NIV‬‬ “…….With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” ‭‭