Nourishment

Driving home after prayer with a friend desperately wanting to be in a better place, I look out the window. Passing by fields of hay, I smile. These fields lay in the center of grocery stores, schools, pharmacies; yet year after year the new hay grows, as traffic increases.

I love to see the tall hay covered fields, I imagine myself bare foot, running through them with hands extended as hay whips my hands. Those open fields of new growth bring such joy to me.

In early summer, the fields are cut and all of the new life is cut down to dry. The once tall hay, now lays decaying in an open field, dying. In a few days, heavy equipment scoops up the dead, bales it and eventually it is sold to feed animals.

I thought about this and I was reminded of life. The joy we have as we grow, the freedom as we spend our days, carefree looking to the heavens – the pride as we stand tall.  Without warning, something comes along and cuts us down. Broken we lay, unable to move, breathe, and we wonder what happened to all of the joy we had, as we cry out for a better place.

This, is when the Son shines on us. Changing us into something else. Drying the tears and turning our hurt into nourishment for our soul. Our tragedy becomes a testimony that we can share with others when the Prince of this Principality cuts us down and leaves us dying in a field of despair.

It is when we are at our weakest, that the Father, releases the heavy equipment and builds up back up into something new. He bales us up into a strong force that can then nourishes others in pain.

Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. ² We have also obtained access through Him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. ³ And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, ⁴ endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. ⁵ This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Roman 5: 1-5

Father, I lift up those in agony as they wait for answers. As they wait for the Son to shine and turn their pain into nourishment for their growth and blessings for others. Amen

Exhale

Exhale

Early morning between moon and sun. Day light brimming as shadows become image and I close my eyes. Leaning against dew covered car, I inhale…..exhale, listen….. Birds in perfect harmony, a siren in the far distance, cars, like ocean waves, roll over paved earth through tree lined barrier, and I…. just….. breathe. One breaths, two breaths….. busy day breaks open my eyes and Savior says, enjoy one more moment. Eyes closed, inhale…..exhale….. Birds…..

My prayer, as I reluctantly left my place of peace, that morning, was that the next morning, I would be able to recreate that exact moment. I could not. My body was tired the next day, the lighting was different due to storm clouds passing by, and the timing was different due to a later exercise start time. When I wrote that top paragraph in my journal, after my experience, I had no idea where those words would take me on this post and honestly, not until I typed them did I realize. In the world, so many of us live, life is so busy, we long to recreate those moments in life where nothing else matters but what you are doing right then. They are so rare with busy Mom and Dad’s working in or out of the home, volunteering at church and other places, kids on sports teams, dance, gymnastics, and the list goes on and on.

When I was 17, I took what was supposed to be an hour and a half trip up to Chimney Rock, NC with a friend of mine. She had never been to the NC Mountains, aka God’s gift to the world, and as we drove, we made several stops and took lots of pictures. After going through Chimney Rock we decided to keep driving up the mountain and found ourselves on the Blue Ridge parkway. We drove and stopped, took more pictures and before we knew it, the day was gone and we were in Gatlinburg, TN. This, my fellow parents, was before cellular phones, so we had to stop and call my panicked Dad from a payphone, collect, because at this point we had some gas in the car, a bag of change and some skittles to eat. Daddy told us to take Highway 40 home, which was punishment for us because if you have never been on that road and like my friend, who, had only been driving for about 3 years, it was very scary. The truck drivers own that highway and it is no place for inexperienced drivers to be after dark. We finally made it home around midnight and my sleepy eyed, early morning to work, daddy met us at the door. It was the first time I heard him curse at me, and I ducked my head and went inside. Looking back I can see him breathing calmer as I walked in and he closed the door, knowing I was under the safety of his roof.

A few years later, my friend and I tried to recapture that trip and drove up to the mountains again. I honestly only remember making that trip but I don’t have the vivid memories that I have of the first trip. Some moments you can never relive, even if you want to. Like the first time your child wades in the ocean, feels sad between their toes, sees a favorite princess or cartoon character. Moments we hold in our heart. We see many movies with parents forcing ungrateful teenagers to go on one last big family vacation and disappointment reigns as they realize their kids are grown up and they don’t enjoy the same things they once did. Don’t we all try to recreate those moments when we felt good, safe, and happy?

The point in this is, when God gives us a moment to just breathe, do it. Hold on to it and know that there will never be another moment just like this one. You will have more moments to cherish, but this moment will never come again.

It is a good and delightful thing to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises (with musical accompaniment) to Your name, O Most High.

To show forth Your loving-kindness in the morning and Your faithfulness by night.

PS 92: 1-2

Father, thank you for the moments that we hold in high regard. I pray of you that we live life and not allow life to move so quickly that it’s lived with us tagging along. Amen.

Principalites

Principalities

 

Early morning walks with a friend, both trying to shape our bodies into something resembling younger years, and the earth is still, quiet and dark. The light from the reflective moon is wavering through clouds as the sun sits still waiting on rotating earth to beckon her brilliance and we begin the few moments where trees watch from either side of the road. We get our breath ready for the first of many interval running minutes and I notice the white tails of rabbit’s, gone mad, racing in crazed direction, in front of us. They have no destination, just scared purpose as they go from one side of the tree forest to another. I feel the hair stand on my arms, as eerie awareness of someone watching descends and fear begins to replace running anticipation. I slowly unplug the deafening sounds of Toby Mac from my ears and listen for what has the rabbits scurry, and, I hear it. At first the sound is terrifying and I realize with slow smile forming why the rabbits fear. The echo of Owls sing chorus between the trees, speaking in tones I do not understand but comprehend. The enemy on the principality of these woods is the Owl. High in the Pine tree watching the scurry and preparing for dusty morning light feast before daylight sleep. As we exit the trees my friend turns and says, go, focus renewed, we jog, woods forgotten, lesson forming.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 6:12

As Followers of Christ, we sometimes need a reminder that we walk on the Principality of the Enemy. That morning was mine. It also served as a reminder of the God I serve. Though I walk through the valley of darkness, He is forever with me. Guarded by His angels, I have nothing to fear. This world has taught us to look for someone to blame or something to blame when the storms of life come. We want our enemy to be flesh and blood, when the bible clearly reminds us that it is not flesh and blood we wrestle against, but against all of the things we believe to only be fairy tale. Is it, so much easier to tune into television and believe in a mystical world created by writers than the very rulers of darkness our God tells of?

As we are just travelers on this earth, don’t let the enemy hold you down with fear. He is chained to this world, but we are not. Though he is the Prince of this principality, God is King and he rules over everything. Christ dying on the cross, and your acceptance of that sacrifice mean you cannot be plucked from His hands. He is your protector against the darkness. When the storms strike against you, don’t scurry like the crazed rabbits above, searching for a hiding place. Our hiding place is in Christ and His protection is forever. Call his name, the enemy will flee, it is the promise of God.

Father, my God, my Protector, my Savior, my friend, how I thank you for eyes that see beauty in the gift of this world. I pray father that strength comes with the enemy strikes fear. I thank you for angels that encompass and protect. Amen.

Toast

Toast

Early morning cheese toast on a young man’s plate, crust disregarded, and melted cheesy yumminess, eaten first. Please eat your toast, from Mom, results in a boyish frown and words uttered, I do not like the brown parts. Mom forgotten, smiles at pajama clad young man’s head bowed to a video game, brown crust still untouched.

Christ reveals life in toast. We want to trim the hard and live in the soft goodness and melted bliss. It’s the crust that brings us to the blessing.  The crust is the hard baked shell that protects the tender softness as the heat turns dough into bread.

It was, after all,   the tireless pursuit from King Saul that baked a crust of leadership and warrior into King David. The harshness of bitter divorce baked around the woman at the well that led her to thirst for Savior conversation. The brutality of the cross that crusted a third day resurrection.

Savior, the baked crust is where you first form endurance and shaping to the goodness inside.

No, in all these things we are more than victorious
through Him who loved us.
 For I am persuaded that not even death or life,
angels or rulers,
things present or things to come, hostile powers,
 height or depth, or any other created thing
will have the power to separate us
from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!

Romans 8: 37-39

Enjoy your morning coffee with a piece of toast this morning. Don’t disregard the crust, it after all, is where you find the greatest health benefits.

I also recommend you read the 8^th chapter of Romans. It is filled with triumph over evil.

Father, thank you for the hard times in life that bake a shell of knowledge and strength around us. For turning stories of hardship into testimonies of hope for those in need. Amen

Oh how he Loves us.

“My own wild desire to protect my joy at all cost is the exact force that kills my joy.”

Ann VosKamp

One Thousand Gifts

A Prayer for my Enemy......

Her life is one of fear, her marriage is built on lies, and her bed is full of un-forgiveness. The life she holds dear is one truth away from exposure and because of that, she holds on to undeserved anger. Forgiveness is refused and instead she opts to live in constant, binding, life-choking, fear of truth.

And I, seeking to understand my part, hear the Lord ask me if I hear the bird chorus praise Him this early morning – and – I do… Oh how He loves me and you…..oh how he loves me and you – is the chorus steady on repeat, like a record with a repeating scratch.

∞

And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,

even as God in Christ forgave you.

Ephesians 4:32

Release my enemy from this life of lies she has built. The shifting sands that her world is built on hurts more than she knows. Affects generations and I pray this be the generation that it ends.

My God how I have despised her and now my heart aches – oh how You love me and her- Release, take the mask of lies off my sister. Be free and know the love and freedom that is forgiveness.

∞

Oh how He loves us, oh how He loves you and me.

….and the sun is rising and I know the moon still sits quietly in the sky – my reflection. Somehow, I just know, the reflection is a little brighter today….

∞

I wrote this one morning while reading the reference book above. Ann VosKamp’s words came alive on paper and I closed her book and opened my journal.  My pen flowed with words, unknowing where they would lead. My heart sang as I began to realize that God was guiding me to release hurt, pain, and anger through the pen. Anger was being replaced with compassion and tears with smiles. Oh how he loves us, rang in my ears and suddenly, I knew I could leave it at the foot of the cross and let His will be done.

∞

Father, I share this personal journal entry in obedience to you. I pray this helps someone today. Amen.

A little note

Hi everyone,

Thank you all for continuing to read Morning Coffee at the Well. Most of what I write, is written at the same time that I post. I have been very busy over the last two weeks as I welcomed a new niece into the world and had the opportunity to help my brother and sis in law with their two year old. The time spent with my nieces has given me a few ideas for my next few blogs, however, I am blessed to have a full time job, faithful husband, an wonderful children, so I have not had time to sit and type it out.
Please take a moment for yourself this week to just listen to God. Maybe you're not a morning person like myself, so maybe a glass of sweet tea and God. Just sit and listen to the Father. It's always a great morning when I left the Father speak.  I look forward to getting my morning coffee talks with Jesus back this week and  new post out soon.

God Bless,
Rhonda

Scripture Stones

For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 HCSB

We learn this as small children, with open hearts we believe that God sent his Son so that all that believe in Him will enter eternity. The, we judge those who sin differently than us, we hate those that stand for things we do not, and we blast them, in the name of Jesus on social media, by throwing stones with scripture carved into them.

“For God did not send His son into the world that He might condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him” John 3:17

Maybe we should teach this scripture, instead. In a world so full of self-righteous hate, maybe we should finish the chapter and not pick and choose the scripture we get to live by. How does the world read John 3:16 and yet ignore 3:17? I found that question in one of my many journals. The date simply says July 24^th with no date. My guess is that this was from 2012, as that is the date prior. Next to the question I wrote, we are not to condemn the world’s sinners, WE ARE THE WORLD’S SINNERS. 

If our own Savior, in flesh, did not come to this world to judge, who then are we to think we rank any higher than the Man at the right side of God?

I like to read the comments when I see a hot topic come across Facebook. It hurts my heart the number of times I see someone start with, and this is why I will never be a Christian.  Social Media has become the enemy’s first defense in securing sinners place in Hell. Instead of being like Christ and reaching out in love, some Christians, throw a scripture stone, to prove they are right.

Instead of using social media as a way to throw scripture stones, let’s all try to use it to show love. When that news feed comes across that upsets you, delete it. That’s right, delete it. Don’t comment. Don’t share it. Delete it. Before you start telling me that we are to show people Jesus and using scripture is a great way. Ask yourself, as you doing it to prove His love or prove you are right. If you are trying to prove you are right, put that stone away. Christ showed us who He was by acts of love.

Father God, allow us to use social media to show your love. Stop the scripture stones from flying across the internet as well intentioned Christians try to show you to a lost world. Forgive us. Amen