Recently, Traci Hoffman, often known as "Mama H.", passed away. The day before she passed, I kept thinking to myself about what a wonderful woman and roll model she is. Everything she did was for others, and she is the only woman I know who did love God with all of her heart and with all of her soul and with all of her mind and with all of her strength. She went beyond anyone else with her dedication to doing things for God and others, and I only wish that the rest of us could grow up to be like her example of Christ.
When my sister shared the sad news with me, I went into my room and wrote this poem.
Dear God, will you take care of her?
Make sure she's comfy and can sleep somewhere?
Would you tell her she's loved and we miss her much?
Our last conversation really wasn't that much..
Would you send her a hello
From her kids here below?
Then hug them all tight
And kiss them goodnight?
Daddy, can you do one more thing?
Show her our cards and pom-pom things.
Show her the impact she's made on our lives,
And show her our future husbands and wives
All because she taught us to live right
Please, just make sure that she is alright/we are alright/ we are all right.
"A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.
Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.
She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.
... She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.
She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 'Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.'
Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate."
-Proverbs 31:10-12, 25-31
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Monday, May 7, 2012
Look
"Get past your mind and look for him!"
I've gone through a lot of loneliness recently. Not from being away from good friends, but from being away from God.
I couldn't hear him for a while. Part of that is my lack of discipline in listening for him. Part of that is because I left my Bible at school by accident before I went on a week-long trip.
Not that I've been totally deaf, although, interestingly enough, this past week I've felt like my earwax problem has been giving me hearing issues. No, it's just I hadn't heard him. I get such great joy when I hear him that I know when it's true or not. I still can't believe how obviously powerful he is; and it is true, if you don't choose to hear and acknowledge God's voice, then you can't hear it like I do.
So last time I heard God's voice, he powerfully and peacefully told me (as I waited to run to the bathroom) "Draw...for ME."
That was... WOW.
Yeah. Well anyways, that was a couple months ago now, which, if David and Samuel talked to him all the time, seems pretty stretched out. So today, I learned another lesson that I hadn't heard for a while: God speaks through messengers. A friend of mine posted one of those "Truth is" things on my wall, and within it was the most amazing message I've heard from God in a long time.
First, he answered one of my main prayers (questions) I've had for the past maybe 4 months, which latched onto a prayer I've been praying almost everyday for a year and a half now. That's just crazy. After that long, you don't expect things to get answered, you just keep praying.
Then, you know the whole deaf thing? Yeah, even in my "Christian activities" with Christian friends that usually talk with me about tons of Bible stuff, I feel like I've been lacking in whole as a Christian. I won't argue if that's possible or not, but in the back of my mind, when I push to keep trying to do better, I ask myself, "Is it really worth it? Can you actually keep this up? You keep slipping up, how will you ever succeed?"
Man, I love God! And He loves me! No lie, the next line after the answered prayer was about me being a strong Christian. It just was a gentle reminder that you're trying, and that's alright; keep your head up, I've got you.
God speaks in SO many ways!
Now that "Draw for me" thing I mentioned earlier? Well, ever since that happened, my future job possibilities sprouted out like a fibrous root in front of me, and it's become harder and harder to stick with art. So far, just like everything else, I stuck with art because that's what I had been doing. It got harder when I got this "Future Female Engineers" award in a science competition, but I still stuck with my Graphic Design.
It may sound like nothing to someone else but a simple compliment, but the friend wrote, "Keep up the artwork."
Well, I don't think this friend even knows how God just used him, but I certainly do, and I couldn't be more inspired. I've missed God, and through this little note, he's reminded me that he's still there and I've got to keep heading on the right track towards him.
Keep looking for God. Once you set aside your thoughts and purely look to and listen to him, that is when you hear God's voice. Sometimes he forces it through. Often not. Generally, you can hear Him through his Word; He can also speak from anyone's voice, words, or even actions. Just remember to put aside your thoughts and opinions about it all and just let Him speak clearly.
"For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end."
-Psalm 48:14
I've gone through a lot of loneliness recently. Not from being away from good friends, but from being away from God.
I couldn't hear him for a while. Part of that is my lack of discipline in listening for him. Part of that is because I left my Bible at school by accident before I went on a week-long trip.
Not that I've been totally deaf, although, interestingly enough, this past week I've felt like my earwax problem has been giving me hearing issues. No, it's just I hadn't heard him. I get such great joy when I hear him that I know when it's true or not. I still can't believe how obviously powerful he is; and it is true, if you don't choose to hear and acknowledge God's voice, then you can't hear it like I do.
So last time I heard God's voice, he powerfully and peacefully told me (as I waited to run to the bathroom) "Draw...for ME."
That was... WOW.
Yeah. Well anyways, that was a couple months ago now, which, if David and Samuel talked to him all the time, seems pretty stretched out. So today, I learned another lesson that I hadn't heard for a while: God speaks through messengers. A friend of mine posted one of those "Truth is" things on my wall, and within it was the most amazing message I've heard from God in a long time.
First, he answered one of my main prayers (questions) I've had for the past maybe 4 months, which latched onto a prayer I've been praying almost everyday for a year and a half now. That's just crazy. After that long, you don't expect things to get answered, you just keep praying.
Then, you know the whole deaf thing? Yeah, even in my "Christian activities" with Christian friends that usually talk with me about tons of Bible stuff, I feel like I've been lacking in whole as a Christian. I won't argue if that's possible or not, but in the back of my mind, when I push to keep trying to do better, I ask myself, "Is it really worth it? Can you actually keep this up? You keep slipping up, how will you ever succeed?"
Man, I love God! And He loves me! No lie, the next line after the answered prayer was about me being a strong Christian. It just was a gentle reminder that you're trying, and that's alright; keep your head up, I've got you.
God speaks in SO many ways!
Now that "Draw for me" thing I mentioned earlier? Well, ever since that happened, my future job possibilities sprouted out like a fibrous root in front of me, and it's become harder and harder to stick with art. So far, just like everything else, I stuck with art because that's what I had been doing. It got harder when I got this "Future Female Engineers" award in a science competition, but I still stuck with my Graphic Design.
It may sound like nothing to someone else but a simple compliment, but the friend wrote, "Keep up the artwork."
Well, I don't think this friend even knows how God just used him, but I certainly do, and I couldn't be more inspired. I've missed God, and through this little note, he's reminded me that he's still there and I've got to keep heading on the right track towards him.
Keep looking for God. Once you set aside your thoughts and purely look to and listen to him, that is when you hear God's voice. Sometimes he forces it through. Often not. Generally, you can hear Him through his Word; He can also speak from anyone's voice, words, or even actions. Just remember to put aside your thoughts and opinions about it all and just let Him speak clearly.
"For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end."
-Psalm 48:14
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