Category: stories

I was released from the hospital two days after having my spleen removed last week. So far, everything seems to be going well. I have four incisions in the left side my abdomen, but no memory whatsoever of the operation. Susan and I are thankful for your prayers.

In Jesus, God our Father communicates with us, His children, through the Holy Spirit He has given us. Most obviously, He communicates through His written Word, but the Spirit also teaches us through circumstances and life experiences. All the heroes of Scripture could attest. By entering the fiery furnace, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego learned… Running for his life as King Saul chased, David learned… Bitten by a deadly serpent after surviving a shipwreck, Paul learned… We could go on and on.

Recently my youngest grandchild and I started playing a game. She comes to me, I whisper in her ear, then she runs off to play. I was sitting at the dinner table after a meal at Kinsey’s and Jordan’s house the first time it happened and I whispered into her right ear. After running to play a few minutes with her brother in another room, Keightley returned and offered her left ear. I whispered and asked if she understood. She nodded then ran off again.

I left the dinner table to sit on a nearby sofa when the two-year-old returned a third time. “Which ear, Keightley?” I asked. “Both ears, Opa!” she answered. So I whispered something in one ear then the other. Each time I told her things I most want her to know: how much Opa and Susu love her, how much her parents love her, how much Jesus loves her, how she needs to get along with her older brother… Keightley always listened intently and always nodded affirmatively when asked if she understood.

I hear God’s whispers in hospitals. He is the perfect Father who knows exactly what we need. This past week, I mainly remember four words: “I am with you.” It is love that prompts a grandfather to summon a grandchild to his lap so he can whisper words of love and affirmation… and it is love that leads God to whisper to us. “I love you; I created you; Jesus died for you; the Holy Spirit lives in you… do you understand?”

“Both ears, Abba!”

“Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.” I Kings 19:11-12

“What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs.” Matthew 10:27

“Because you are His sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father.’” Galatians 4:6

John and his best friend Isaiah made it to the state wrestling tournament in Alabama’s largest high school classification. Susan and I arrived in Birmingham in time to see their final match Friday night, then we watched all day Saturday.

In the 195 pound category, Isaiah lost his Saturday match by one point in double overtime. John won two intense contests before losing in the 220 pound category. He placed fourth and is only the second wrestler in school history to medal in the Alabama state wrestling tournament.

It is hard to explain the feelings when ‘your boys’ enter the 6 minute contest… intensity deepens, the cheers are louder, and the heart beats faster. Susan and I experienced every emotion this past weekend… the thrill of victory… and the agony of defeat. We could not change the call of a referee or the strength of an opponent or the decisions of a coach… but we were ‘involved’ each minute John and Isaiah competed.

Jesus tells of the Father who cares even more deeply for His sons and daughters. Jesus knew His Father’s love every day He walked the earth, and He wants us to experience the same love. God did not remove the hardship of persecution or the pain of suffering from His Son. He did not reverse the schemes of the wicked who carried out injustice, but Jesus knew His Father was with Him. He and His Father are One and He invites us into this circle.

“Live a surrendered life as I lived a surrendered life. It will not be trouble-free, but I will be with you… and you will experience My peace and My joy. My God is your God; My Father is your Father (John 20:17)… and He is the best Father ever!”

“The One who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do what pleases Him.” John 8:29

“Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in My Father and you are in Me, and I am in you. Whoever has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I too will love them and show Myself to them.” John 14:19-21

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me.” John 17:20-21

Susan, Sherill, and I joined two different 40-day prayer circles this summer, following Mark Batterson’s ‘Draw the Circle’ prayer challenge. After brief daily readings, each of us lifted up requests, praises, and intercession to our Heavenly Father over these 40-day periods. In the process, we learned to live with a renewed anticipation of God’s work in our lives.

We all pray, but it seems when a fresh emphasis is given and there is a commitment to focus more intently, change takes place. Sherill, who told us she never remembered dreams, started recalling dreams with great clarity. None of us knew exactly what they meant, but we all agreed Sherill should pray for anyone she dreamed about. Becoming more aware of God’s presence, Sherill grew in faith. She inspires us constantly.

In one chapter of his book, Batterson quotes Leonard Ravenhill, an evangelist born in England in 1907 who ministered in the United States from 1950 until his death in 1994. He influenced many leaders such as Keith and Melody Green and Ravi Zacharias, who in turn inspired multitudes of searchers, young and old, to passionately follow Jesus.

“One of these days some simple soul will pick up the Book of God, read it, and believe it. Then the rest of us will be embarrassed. We have adopted the convenient theory that the Bible is a Book to be explained, whereas first and foremost it is a Book to be believed (and after that to be obeyed.)”

Like repenting, giving, reading the Word… praying is easy to talk about, but more difficult to really do. God does not just want His people to be quick to say: “I’ll pray for you”… He wants us to do it.

Without sharing specific details about two ‘emergency’ prayer needs from summer, there is one day Susan and I will always remember. We volunteered to watch Kinsey’s and Jordan’s kids in Marietta one Monday while Kinsey kept an appointment. At lunch time, Susan surprised me a bit and said to four-year-old Owen, one-year-old Keightley, and her sixty-year-old husband: “Before we eat, we need to get down on our knees and pray about this important matter.”

Owen looked a little confused, but he joined Susan and me on the kitchen floor. Little Keightley was the best… she got on her knees and folded her hands as Susan lifted a one-minute critical request to our Father in Heaven.

After lunch, I received an urgent phone call with dire news. I walked outside with my phone and received details regarding a life-altering, seemingly hopeless situation in another state. I returned to the house and said to Susan and the kids: “Guys, we’ve got to get down on our knees and pray about something else.” No one argued… we just did it.

The second prayer was answered in ten minutes… spectacularly. The lunch prayer was answered in ten days… spectacularly. That same Monday evening at dinner, before eating a bite, Owen told his parents they all needed to get down on their knees to pray before the meal. Perhaps children learn a little quicker than we do.

So here’s a word of encouragement to all who follow Jesus: just do it.

“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” James 2:14-17

Quote from “Draw the Circle” by Mark Batterson; ©2012; Zondervan; p 201

Our dear friend Amanda, who now lives in Kentucky, occasionally calls to chat and catch up. Usually she brings up a challenging question. This past weekend, she asked something on the minds of many Americans: “Dana, what is happening in our government?”

We agreed we all need to repent and Christians should remember to “act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God.” The conversation concluded with Amanda deciding she would run for President. I assured her that she would have my vote.

Our church has recently had some interesting revelations from God’s Word. The Sunday before Christmas, after reading Matthew’s account of Jesus’ birth, our brother Sean raised his hand and said: “I need to share something very strange. We drove home from your house last Sunday and my sister pointed out a piece of crumpled up paper stuck in the grill of the front of our car. I pulled it out and it was a page from a Bible. Is anyone missing Isaiah 8 and 9?”

I didn’t really see how this fit into the morning lesson until Sean mentioned Isaiah 8 and 9… as that was the next passage I had planned to read. What are the odds that this very Scripture had been stuck in the grill of Sean’s car the previous weekend? Later in the week, I contacted my friend and asked if he still had the page from the Bible. He promised to bring it the next Sunday.

The translation was from the New King James Version, and no one we knew was missing that page from the book of Isaiah. I pondered this rather bizarre story for a couple of weeks, and finally held up the crinkled paper one recent Sunday and asked if any brother or sister would like to propose a meaning. Different theories were shared, but finally God spoke. Actually, it was our brother Joe, who from memory quoted the Lord’s words. He began, “I think the message for us is what the page says…”

For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:6-7)

God knows the answer to Amanda’s question! His Son will carry the government on His shoulders and He will eventually bring peace. We know ‘shalom’ is the Hebrew word translated ‘peace’, but ‘shalom’ means something far deeper than simply a lack of disagreement. ‘Shalom’ points to God’s perfect order. Jesus is the Prince of Peace who will bring the chaos of our world under the sovereign will of the Heavenly Father.

Let our eyes be lifted to the One who brings ‘shalom.’ And let us be instruments of His peace as we point to our Father who is perfect in all His ways.

“Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10

Susan put together a good-sized box of food and I gathered some clothes to take to Jim Christmas morning. I learned later that the Lord put it on the heart of another couple to take him a few Christmas presents in the afternoon. I think God really loves the homeless.

At the corner of Euclid and Moreland in Little 5 Points, I peered down a deserted street. When I looked the other direction, Jim appeared in the middle of the road walking toward my car. “Pull in here, Dana, Digger really wants to see you.” He led me to a porch where Digger and three others had settled in. “Merry Christmas,” I said, handing Jim the box. “I thought you’d be asleep this early in the morning.” “We’ve not been to bed yet,” Digger replied. Jim introduced me to the three I didn’t know and we all talked a while before I departed.

Hillsong’s lyrics “Your love’s too good to leave me here…” were playing in my car as I drove through Atlanta. These words reflect God’s heart as He ‘desires no one to perish’… but He will not take away ‘choice.’ Jesus will not force us to follow Him.

“In Him was life and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” But just a few sentences later, the apostle wrote: “He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him.” (See John 1)

“’The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you – they are full of Spirit and life…’ From this time many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him. ‘You do not want to leave too, do you?’ Jesus asked the Twelve.” (John 6:63-67)

I think Jesus wants us all to respond the way Peter did. Like him, we do not understand everything… but: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that You are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:68-69)

When family members or friends or strangers do not choose life, we are still to care and pray and love. Jesus tells us His Father waits for the prodigal with open arms. We should remind the wayward, the trapped, the lonely, and confused of such a Lover of souls… One who has the power to rescue, cleanse, and restore.

“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” Luke 15:17-20

Lyrics from Hillsong United: ‘As You Find Me’; ©2018