Rising Above

Good Morning Everyone,

Well today should be a interesting lesson.

Today someone in my family really hurt my feelings,
and it brought up old issues with them and others
and certain old feelings of rejection that confronted
me spiritually and really are challenging to work past.

I think one of the greatest tools in churches today
that satan the loser uses is the spirit of offense,
to divide a church and break down it's cohesiveness.
I think one of the greatest tools satan the loser uses
in families now is the spirit of offense, and bring
unsettling hurt to all involved.

Everyone wants to be right... no one wants to admit
they were wrong, no one wants to compromise,
and everyone seems to savor carrying grudges.

What is this producing? A nation of lonely people,
distraught, hurt, feeling rejected and isolated.
People have forgotten people skills. It is all about me,
my life, my desires.. and they have forgotten the
spirit of grace we should be giving to one another
just as God for Christ's sake gives to us daily.

Grace, unmerited favor.. we are given it even though
we deserve it not.

So here I am stewing in my juice today about some
very unkind, and disrespectful things someone said to me
and I have to take the high road and let it go. It isn't easy,
it doesn't feel good to confront our evil feelings and rebuke
them and admit we are carnal in the way we are reacting.
But it is a necessity.

But it is sweet in the way we are growing in Christ.
We are learning to set aside those carnal feelings and
remember above all, we are a witness for Christ.
We are his hand extended.

So like the end of the following story, part of my
gift to my family, is walking the long journey, and letting
go of the hurt and the need to be right and the need
to set people straight, and trying with all my spiritual
heart to love them where they are at, and just let go
of the pain they bring to me.

God.. is my source. Not people. I need to be dependant
on Him, not them.

These are great words of wisdom my friend.

Don't let the bait of satan - the spirit of offense
dwell in your spirit. It will destroy all around you and
make a wasteland of your spiritual life.

love always
millie


ps.. Thank you Eva for reminding me to rise above
in the name of Christ... How thankful I am to have
a daughter who walks in the grace of God and speaks
it to those around her. I am blessed by you daily.







"A Long Walk"

In a remote village in Central America the word got out among the
peoples of the region that one of the American missionaries that
had served this country for many years was about to return to the
US to live our the remaining years of her life.

The nationals desired to honor her for her years of service with a
public time of appreciation. News of the event went to all parts of
the country in which the missionary was known to the people. One
very old and very poor man walked to the ceremony over mountainous
terrain for 4 days to bring his gift to the missionary.

The gift consisted of 2 coconuts, but it was all the man had. The
missionary recognized the man as coming from the remote village in
the mountains.

"Brother, I cannot believe that you would walk so far to present me
with this gift," said the missionary to the man.

His response? "Long walk part of gift."
--Author Unknown