love

Draw Nearer

I am learning to draw nearer to the Lord. It is a lifelong path. After almost fifty years of serving Him, I am not where I want to be. But I am getting closer.

One day last week, during my morning quiet time with the Lord, a song written one hundred years ago flowed from my heart. I sang the chorus to “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.” Do you know it?

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

When we look upon Jesus with our whole heart, our problems no longer seem as large. Our troubles seem to fade when we consider the sacrifice He made for us and focus on the hope He gives. He died so we can live eternally with Him if we know Him as our Savior and Lord.

I read YouVersion’s Verse of the Day each morning and journal the verse along with the Guided Prayer. The app offers background music, too, which helps me to focus on a quiet and personal time with the Lord. The verse on the day I sang, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus,” was Isaiah 26:3.  

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you,
all whose thoughts are fixed on you! (NLT)

This verse spoke to my heart and aligned with the song that I had sung. If I fix my thoughts on Jesus, and I trust in Him, I can turn my eyes upon Him and see not only the light of His glory and grace, but perfect love and peace.

Because I could not remember the verses to “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus,” I googled the song. Here is verse one.

O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!

When our troubles seem to overwhelm us and we don’t know what to do, we can look to Christ. In Him, we find light, life, and freedom. And because of the freedom He has given us, we can draw nearer to Him.

What do you see when you turn your eyes upon Jesus?

Lemmel, Helen Howarth. “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.” Hymnary. Accessed July 3, 2023. Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus | Hymnary.org.

YouVersion Bible App - YouVersion

Photo by Ben White - Unsplash

From Anxiety to Peace

In my recent newsletter, I told the story of our older cat, Paka, and how she’d stopped eating. She had gone for several days without food. She would use her scratching post and groom herself, but she had no interest in her paté or kibble.

After a thorough examination and Xray, our vet, Doctor Amy, and I came to the same conclusion. Our new kitty, Tatertot, had caused Paka a lot of anxiety.

Paka has always been a little skittish. She was a rescue cat that lived with a man who didn’t like her. He wasn’t too fond of his former girlfriend either, who had left the cat with him when she moved out. I assume Paka stayed hidden from him because she hides whenever someone comes to our house. When it’s my husband, our youngest daughter, and me, she’s the perfect cat. But she doesn’t like change. And our new kitten brought a lot of that!

Although our vet took great care of her and got her back to her old self, Paka was not out of danger. Doctor Amy told me that the treatment she used with Paka would last for thirty days. She hoped Paka would bond with Tatertot by then, solving the problem. Today is day thirty-five. So far, so good. I am certain the two of them have formed a stronger connection.

On multiple occasions, I’ve discovered them sharing a bed, either theirs or ours, with their bodies close together. And twice, I’ve observed them as they groomed each other. So sweet! Brings a smile and praise to my lips.

During our times of stress and anxiety, our circumstances may become so overwhelming that we forget to pray or lack the energy to do so. Often, these situations take a severe toll on our bodies, hearts, and minds. But the Lord encourages us to turn to Him. He opens His arms and waits for us to run into them. To hold us. To comfort us. To pour out His unfailing love and peace upon us.

Two of my favorite verses are Philippians 4:6-7.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. 

My hope for Paka is that she has found peace to deal with Tatertot and will continue to thrive. My hope for us is that we find peace in Christ whenever anxiety strikes. He desires us to come to Him in prayer, tell Him what we need, and thank Him for all He has done. He’s done much in my life. What about in yours? Please share below a recent blessing He’s poured out upon you.

My Needy Cat

My needy cat kneads me. She possesses a peculiar habit of lying in my lap, kneading her paws into my belly, and sucking on my fleece robe, often while purring. I found a website that explained possibilities for my rescue cat’s actions.

  • She’s claiming my robe and me as her territory.

  • Her behavior shows affection and contentment.

  • She’s seeking comfort as she did while a kitten nursing from her mother (found in cats that were taken from their mama too soon).

I’m happy she’s comfortable with me and wants to show me affection, but her quirky behavior can be annoying. She usually does this during my devotional time while I’m at my desk in the morning, and she expects me to coddle her as she snuggles. She relaxes so much that I must place my arm along her side, or she’ll slip off my lap. Have you ever tried to write in your journal while a cat rests on your writing arm?

After this lovable snuggling time, she leaves my lap and finds another place to lounge. When I wander past her, she may greet me with a meow. But if I reach out to pet her, she sometimes bites. Not a playful nip or love-bite but an all-out bite that causes me to say, “Ouch.” Fortunately, she doesn’t break my skin.

She bites my husband too, but he gets the love-bites. Not the “ouch” kind. But she doesn’t show him the love and affection she does me by kneading and snuggling.

How can such a lovable cat one moment turn on me several minutes later and morph into an attack cat? More research and more answers.

  • Cats become overstimulated and need time alone.

  • I may resemble an earlier owner who was abusive or neglectful.

  • Someone took her from her mama before she learned proper play-biting techniques.

Before my research, I thought I might resemble a former owner. But now I believe someone took her from her mama too soon.

The answer? We continue to bond. I put up with her cuddling in my lap while I read my Bible and save the writing in my journal for later in the morning. I’ve learned not to touch her if she’s resting.

Is there someone in your life who seems to be your friend one moment and your foe the next? What sparks their behavior to change? Maybe they’re overwhelmed and need to be alone or need an extra dose of love and kindness.

What helps you when you feel you’ve had enough? Walk outdoors? Read a book (perhaps God’s Word)? Listen to music? Or do you seek a kind word, a warm hug, or the reassuring voice of a close friend?

As I thought about my cat and how her affection toward me can change in an instant, I remembered times when I’ve snapped at someone I love. I don’t bite, but my tone hasn’t always been calm or sweet. There are moments I reach that point when I need alone time or an understanding hug. Although I strive to show kindness and love, I guess I’m a lot like my needy cat.

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech
but with actions and in truth.
1 John 3:18, NIV 

An Odd Request, Part Two

This blog post is a continuation of last month’s post. Here’s a quick review of my story: While in Orlando on vacation, I visited with a mission’s pastor to learn how he’d proposed to a woman he hadn’t seen in twelve years. In Part Two, Pastor Ben Peterson updates us on the woman’s initial response to his odd request.

Pastor Ben contacted me the day after our visit to ask for advice. He thought, because I write Christian romance, I might offer him a few suggestions on how he should proceed with the woman he felt God called him to marry. I didn’t have the heart to tell him to give up on the idea, so my husband and I agreed to meet him at a coffee shop near his church.

When we arrived, we placed our orders and joined Pastor Ben at his table. He brought us up to date.

“I sent her another message.” He leaned forward. “She hadn’t read the letter yet. She thought I wrote to request money for a mission’s trip. Then, when she read it, she messaged me back and accused me of picking out my wife from a harem like King Xerxes did in the Bible.” He sat back in his chair and crossed his arms.

“I love the story of Queen Esther.”

He ignored my comment. “She said she answered me in a letter and planned to send it by snail mail, which tells me that her answer is no.” He raised his palms. “What should I do now?”

Kenn raised his eyebrows and shook his head. I was on my own.

My heart rate quickened. “I suggest you call her. Let her hear your voice. Maybe that will bring back fond memories for her.”

Pastor Ben rested his elbow on the table and waved his hand around as he spoke. “But that gives her the opportunity to tell me that I’m crazy.” He rubbed his chin. “What if I record a video and send it to her? That way, she won’t only hear my voice, but she’ll see me, too, and know I’m sincere.”

“That might work.” Although I doubted it would. “But if she doesn’t get back with you, give her at least a day or two to think and pray about this before you follow up with a phone call.”

He took a long sip of his drink and placed his cup on the table. “I’m not sure I have her phone number. Perhaps it’s time to visit her in Pleasant Springs.”

Kenn agreed.

I eyed Kenn and grimaced. “No, wait.” I focused on Pastor Ben. “If she’s not open to your idea, she may assume you’re stalking her if you show up unannounced.” I lowered my voice. “Be careful. Those small-town sheriffs don’t take to strangers well.”

“You might be right.” He stared over the top of my head. “Annie may have kept Becca’s phone number. I’ll check around the house.”

“Becca? The woman you want to marry?”

He smiled. “Yes. She and her husband Michael were very special to my wife Annie and me. He died a few years before Annie.”

I asked him to keep me posted as to Becca’s response to his video. “If she’s favorable, I’d like to write your love story. Many people will find your romance worthy of their time.”

“Well.” He paused. “Ours won’t be a love story.”

I opened my eyes wide. “What?”

“I’m not in love with her. Our marriage will be an arrangement. I explained that to Becca in my letter.”

“A marriage of convenience?”

He nodded.

“I hope you’re right that God called you to marry her, and I hope He tells her the same thing, because most women want and need love from their husbands.” I hesitated to say more, but I forged ahead. “Psalm 37:4 says, ‘Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.’ But when your desires and hers are opposite one another, you’re asking for trouble.”

To read Ben and Becca’s happily ever after, check out An Odd Request on Amazon.

Full disclosure again this month: This blog post is a work of fiction. Pastor Ben Peterson, Becca, Michael, Annie, and Pleasant Springs are fictional people and places.

Photo by Tyler Nix - Unsplash

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