Tag: Forgiveness

And so the conflict continues…..

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou6 Comments

“He did this terrible thing.  I just hate him!!”

“No Mom, this is what really happened…”

And so the conflict continues…and parents around the world are faced with strife and conflict between their children.

As a parent, I can usually see both sides of the conflict.  Both people have a legitimate grievance, and both have a reason to feel justified in their anger.   Yet, because I love both parties intensely, I want them to share that same love for each other—a love that covers a multitude of sins.

How I wish they could see each other through my eyes—they would see the hurt places in the other; they would have a well of love for the other; they would see the other’s perspective.  Then perhaps they could look past their own hurt, and forgive, and be forgiven.

This is our Heavenly Father’s perspective, and this is every good parent’s perspective.  We want our children to love one another. 

That’s it—we want our children to love one another—and all that love encompasses—forgiving, giving and serving.

Sometimes, as a parent, we actually see this happening, we see the love, we see the forgiving, we see the serving.   It is one of the most beautiful things to behold.

What parent doesn’t smile to see their children hug?  What parent isn’t encouraged to hear one child praise another? Or offer to help each other?

When my son Sean was alive, he had a sibling that angered him a great deal.  I would hear his story of woe about this sibling, and vice versa. The summer before he passed away, he made peace with this sibling.  Their relationship was healed.  They confided in each other, they helped each other, they loved each other, but first they forgave each other.  They willingly laid their grievances down about the other.  They chose with their wills to not take into account the wrongs they had suffered in the past.  They chose to think the best of each other, while sharing the worst with each other.

I have been so grateful for this knowledge, that Sean went onto the next life, at peace with this sibling.

Right now, there is hatred and violence and discord all around our world.

The world would be a different place if we saw each other the way God sees us.  He sees the total picture, the hurt on both sides, the right on both sides, the wrong, and evil on both sides.  He also sees what can be done when we willingly lay our grievances down; when we do not take into account the wrong we have suffered in the past; when we chose to think the best of each other, while being honest about the worst that has happened.  God sees what happens when we forgive, as He has forgiven us. 

What happens is reconciliation– what happens is peace.

It’s a beautiful thing to see this kind of peace—ask any parent—ask the greatest Parent of all!

It’s a beautiful and encouraging thing!!

The Prodigal Child

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou8 Comments

I love the story in the Bible of the prodigal son.  It shows a loving and forgiving father.  It shows a son returning to the father.  This is a story that gives hope to so many parents who have their own prodigal child situation.  Some parents have children who are estranged from them.  Some parents have children who have walked away from God.  Some parents have children who have gotten involved in drugs and/or alcohol.  That is why I’m sharing this video of a woman named Lin as she tells us her own Prodigal Son story.

The son, named Chad, was estranged from his parents for 20 years.  He was involved with drugs, was homeless, and went to jail for a period of time.   He was filled with anger and bitterness towards his parents and would not speak to them at all.

The mother, Lin, talks about how God kept giving her encouragement during that time.  She prayed for her son faithfully.  Romans 8: 28 and Philippians 1:6  were two of the verses that she claimed when she prayed for her son.   

“God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, and to those who are called according to His purpose.”  Romans 8:28

.”For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6

Lin claimed these verses because she knew her son had made a decision for Christ when he was young. She believed that God would complete the work began in him, and that God would use everything, bad and good, for good in her son’s life. Her son did come back to the Lord, and to the family, answering so many prayers on his behalf.

In closing the video, Lin encourages other parents by saying that God loves our prodigal children more than we do.  She tells us we can be confident that God is going to do a good work, and bring it to completion.  Now that’s “Good News”!!

So—Let’s Be Encouraged!!

Updates

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou6 Comments

It’s been awhile since my last blog.  I’ve been recuperating from my health crisis, but I think I’m seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, and I’m really looking forward to doing all the “things” I’m used to doing.

However, In the meantime, I’ve been reading some inspiring books, and watching videos about decluttering and organizing.  (I’m going to put a link in this blog with one that helped me figure out my organizational style–and now I’m raring to put my knowledge into action.) Click here to go to video.

Also, I’m going to share a blog I’ve written called, “Spring Cleaning”.   This is the time of year, I’m thinking about and attempting to dive into some “Spring Cleaning”.  I have not been able to do that yet–but someday soon–it is going to happen!!

Without further ado—   Spring Cleaning!!

PUBLISHED ON April 27, 2022

This is the time of year for Spring Cleaning—cleaning out closets, and cupboards, giving away what others can use, and throwing away what no one can use, organizing and cleaning what remains.   

I don’t really like Spring Cleaning.  It is not my “milieu”—my area of strength.

I feel like God has been doing some Spring Cleaning, in my “house.”   Lately, I have been through some circumstances that have reminded me of other painful times in my life.  Times of conflicts with others, times I felt vulnerable and exposed and rejected.

Usually, when I am reminded of these times, I feel the same feelings of anger and a desire for the offending party to experience justice.   This time, God has said, “I want you to look at this situation, really look–and I want you to forgive this person.  Forgive them from your heart.  Now, I want you to Thank Me, for this — whatever it is.    

In the words of Ney Bailey, “We become bitter to the degree that we do not give thanks.”  Or in the words of scripture, “See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God, and no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble and by it many be defiled.”  Hebrews 12:15

“In everything give thanks for this is the will of God for you, in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 1 Th 5:18

God commands us to give thanks to Him, in everything!!  He tells us this, for our benefit–to get our eyes off the storm, and onto Him–our Protector in the midst of the storms.

When I was giving thanks to God for these difficult things–I did not feel thankful, I will probably never “feel” thankful.  I thanked Him because I am seeking to obey Him, despite my feelings.  I am seeking to live a life of faith–of obeying what God tells me, in spite of my feelings.

For a long time, I have let my feelings dictate my forgiveness of others.  But as I said in my last post, Embracing Joy, I am determined to forgive others who have wronged me, and to seek forgiveness from others whom I have wronged.

I also seek to thank God for these situations—as doing so digs out the roots of bitterness in my life, roots I did not even realize were taking hold of my heart and my life, until God began doing some Spring Cleaning in my life.

I think God has been desiring to do this Spring Cleaning in my life, for a long time, but I have been putting this off for a long time–just as I put off the Spring Cleaning in my home, because I don’t like it.  However, I love the end result of Spring Cleaning.  I love finding things in my closet.  I love finding things in my house.  I love a good, cleaned and organized, visually beautiful home.

We are God’s temple.  He lives inside of each of us.  When we allow Him to give us a “Spring Cleaning”, we really reflect Him.  We reflect His love and forgiveness for others.  We reflect His eternal priorities and perspectives.  We reflect His generosity and grace.   We shine–because He is shining through us.

I encourage all of us, to take some time with the Lord and allow Him to point out the areas where only He can go, to sweep out the cobwebs, and shine all the lights–to get rid of the roots of bitterness–and wash away the sins of unforgiveness.    It may be painful at first, but afterwards–”it yields the peaceful fruit of His righteousness.”  Hebrews 12:11  

Jesus wants to do some Spring Cleaning–and He is really good at it!!  He is just waiting for us to give Him the keys to our homes.  

May We Be Encouraged!!

Christmas Smells

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou8 Comments

This is the time of year our family does a lot of Christmas baking, and with Christmas baking comes Christmas smells!   Recently, my daughter and I got into our car, and the whole car was filled with Christmas smells—of carmel, and chocolate and ginger, cinnamon and cloves!

We carried the smells with us—they surrounded us and clung to us, as we had been surrounded by them in our baking.

I told my daughter that it reminded me of a verse in the Bible

For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;   2 Cor 2:15

When I was a freshman in college, there was a young woman that lived on my floor, who had a huge smile on her face, she was always so happy—and she really irritated me.   I could not stand being around her.   I found myself wanting to slap that smile off her face.  I thought, “No one can be that happy, she must be faking.” 

Then my roommate—my best friend at college—talked with her and another girl, and understood how to have a relationship with God from talking with them.  Spoiler Alert–that other girl would become one of my bridesmaids at my wedding–and remains one of my best friends.

Suddenly, my roommate really began irritating me as well.  I avoided being around her.  I would snap at her about silly things.

These people were the fragrance of Christ to me—but I was headed away from God, not to HIm—and they really irritated me.

Then after snapping at my roommate, about a silly thing, she looked at me and said, “you know Katie, I’m not perfect, I’m just forgiven.”  

Oh how I wanted that–I wanted to be forgiven.   

I share this story–because maybe in the process of being the fragrance of Christ—someone is snapping at you, someone is irritated by you.   Just keep walking close to Jesus, and who knows—you may say something—something so simple—but so profound–that it makes an eternal difference.

May you be encouraged!!  May you keep giving off all those Christmas smells!!

Thankful

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou6 Comments

This week I had to go to the Dentist for a cleaning.  While there, and chatting with some other ladies, I was asked how many children I have.  I responded with, I have five, but one is in heaven.   This opened up the conversation–where I heard another lady tell me she had a child in heaven also, and then others started telling their tragic stories—an eleven year old killed while hunting, a car accident, a disease.   

Why am I recounting this—because tomorrow is Thanksgiving—the day we as individuals, communities, and a nation, give Thanks to God.   It is the time we recognise that God is God—the giver of our blessings, the giver of our lives–but is He also the giver of our trials, and the taker of life?    If so, why would we want to thank Him for that?   

Why would I want to thank Him for taking my son?   Why would others want to thank HIm for their trials, their diseases, the loved ones He has taken?  Why?

Wouldn’t we want to avoid this God, who can take from us our health, our loved ones, our very lives?

That is what many do.  They avoid God—thinking by doing this–that maybe He will forget about them—and they can avoid the pain of life.

Many wonder—how do I get on the good side of this God–so that I will receive good things from HIm?

Others say—it is not God doing these things to us—it is us doing these things to us—-we kill each other, we sinned in the first place–and this brought sin into the world—so now we have diseases, accidents and earthquakes and hurricanes and tornadoes.   God isn’t responsible for those things—we are responsible.

But what does God say?   He tells us quite clearly that He is sovereign over the affairs of men. He tells us that He is on the throne.   He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.   Yet He also tells us that He has given us free will.  We can choose to sin.  He allows us the consequences of our sin.  If we point a gun at someone else and pull the trigger and shoot–the other person will be shot.  The other person will pay the price for our choice.  

If we choose to drive recklessly, others may pay the price of our choice.  

This King of Kings, and this Lord of Lords—chose to reveal Himself to us—by coming down from heaven, being born of a Virgin, becoming a baby, living life as a humble carpenter, having a three year ministry, where he healed people with diseases, healed the lepers, healed the blind, set people walking again—-He touched the suffering and the downtrodden—-and then He died for us, and as He did so—He forgave those who crucified Him, saying they did not know what they were doing.

Jesus showed us a God who loves us, all of us–deeply—a God who suffers with us—a God who heals us—and He heals not just our bodies—He heals our souls.

He deals with our sin condition—-when He was crucified on the cross—He crucified all our sin on the cross.  We can now experience freedom from choosing to sin. When He rose from the dead, He showed us a God who has power over death—and that He will raise us after death as well.

We are not condemned by Him.  We are not judged by Him.  We are forgiven.

We are forgiven.

We have been given life—for all eternity with Him.  The One who loves us.  The One whose scars show us His heart for us. Our great, powerful God—is humble, gentle and loving. He is near to the brokenhearted. He is near to me. He is near to you.

But He will not force Himself upon us. We each need to choose Him. He says, “Behold I stand at the door and knock.”… Rev. 3:20 Each person has a choice to make—will they let Him in? Will they open the door of their life and let Him in?

I let God in—and so…..

I am thankful!!  I am thankful!!  I am thankful to our God!!

May you be encouraged—during this season of thankfulness.

Spring Cleaning

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou5 Comments

This is the time of year for Spring Cleaning—cleaning out closets, and cupboards, giving away what others can use, and throwing away what no one can use, organizing and cleaning what remains.   

I don’t really like Spring Cleaning.  It is not my “milieu”—my area of strength.

I feel like God has been doing some Spring Cleaning, in my “house.”   Lately, I have been through some circumstances that have reminded me of other painful times in my life.  Times of conflicts with others, times I felt vulnerable and exposed and rejected.

Usually, when I am reminded of these times, I feel the same feelings of anger and a desire for the offending party to experience justice.   This time, God has said, “I want you to look at this situation, really look–and I want you to forgive this person.  Forgive them from your heart.  Now, I want you to Thank Me, for this — whatever it is.    

In the words of Ney Bailey, “We become bitter to the degree that we do not give thanks.”  Or in the words of scripture, “See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God, and no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble and by it many be defiled.”  Hebrews 12:15

“In everything give thanks for this is the will of God for you, in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 1 Th 5:18

God commands us to give thanks to Him, in everything!!  He tells us this, for our benefit–to get our eyes off the storm, and onto Him–our Protector in the midst of the storms.

When I was giving thanks to God for these difficult things–I did not feel thankful, I will probably never “feel” thankful.  I thanked Him because I am seeking to obey Him, despite my feelings.  I am seeking to live a life of faith–of obeying what God tells me, in spite of my feelings.

For a long time, I have let my feelings dictate my forgiveness of others.  But as I said in my last post, Embracing Joy, I am determined to forgive others who have wronged me, and to seek forgiveness from others whom I have wronged.

I also seek to thank God for these situations—as doing so digs out the roots of bitterness in my life, roots I did not even realize were taking hold of my heart and my life, until God began doing some Spring Cleaning in my life.

I think God has been desiring to do this Spring Cleaning in my life, for a long time, but I have been putting this off for a long time–just as I put off the Spring Cleaning in my home, because I don’t like it.  However, I love the end result of Spring Cleaning.  I love finding things in my closet.  I love finding things in my house.  I love a good, cleaned and organized, visually beautiful home.

We are God’s temple.  He lives inside of each of us.  When we allow Him to give us a “Spring Cleaning”, we really reflect Him.  We reflect His love and forgiveness for others.  We reflect His eternal priorities and perspectives.  We reflect His generosity and grace.   We shine–because He is shining through us.

I encourage all of us, to take some time with the Lord and allow Him to point out the areas where only He can go, to sweep out the cobwebs, and shine all the lights–to get rid of the roots of bitterness–and wash away the sins of unforgiveness.    It may be painful at first, but afterwards–”it yields the peaceful fruit of His righteousness.”  Hebrews 12:11  

Jesus wants to do some Spring Cleaning–and He is really good at it!!  He is just waiting for us to give Him the keys to our homes.  

May We Be Encouraged!!

Embracing Joy!

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou2 Comments

Today, I thought, “I think I’ll call Marilyn today.”, and then as soon as I thought about it, I realized, “I can’t call Marilyn, she’s gone.”

Marilyn is my mother-in-law.  I say “is” because although she has passed on to the next life, she is still living, and we are still connected through her son.

Marilyn passed in the summer of 2020, at the age of 90.

April is Marilyn’s birthday month, so I find my thoughts going to her during this month.  I find myself wishing I could pick up the phone and call her.

She used to tell me stories about my husband, times when he was a baby, a toddler, a young child, a young man, times when I had not yet met or known my husband.   She was so proud of her son, she was so proud of her children.

My husband swam competitively in High School and College.  He was offered a full scholarship to Boston University to swim.  My mother-in-law did not think it was a good enough school for him so she had him turn it down.  She told me, this was a great regret of hers—as my husband went out of state to college, and he never returned.

She thought if he would have gone to college in Boston–he might never have left Massachusetts.

She loved her son and her grandchildren so much–she hated to be apart from them.

I used to tell her that if he had not left MA, he would not have met me, and she might not have any grandchildren.

She would then say, “That’s true, I never imagined him getting married at all.”

It’s funny the things we look back on and regret, and wish we had done it differently–things that in reality made us who we are.  Things that we learned from—some things we learned from to never to go that way again, and some things we reaped the benefits of those choices.

I’ve been learning about forgiving myself and others, and receiving God’s forgiveness.  Part of forgiving myself and others is realizing that my brokenness, my regrets, my scars—they brought me to Jesus in the first place for that forgiveness.  Jesus was broken, was scarred, was crucified for me and for you.

Jesus died for this forgiveness to be possible.  I have determined not to take this great sacrifice of His for granted.   I will ask for forgiveness from God, from others and from myself, and I will extend forgiveness to others and to myself.  

This is a time of new beginnings.  This is a time of hope and forgiveness.  This is Spring.  This is why we celebrated Easter.  This is Joy!!

May We be Encouraged!!