suffering

Winner of the Storm

December 2, 2023

It is a poem day! I wrote this a few years ago when going through trials that made me feel as if I was in a bad storm with no way out. Ever feel that way, too? I am aware that so many people now have worse ‘storms’ than I ever did.

Sometimes, the only way out is to wait it out. If we wait on God, trust His timing, have faith that He knows what He is doing or allowing, we will make it through. God’s Word says…

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. James 1:2-8

This poem is about making it through the storms in your life. James says they can be opportunities to grow!

Winner of the Storm

In places and times,
no choosing.
uninvited storms will greet me,
and force a challenge.
Right or wrong,
we are all losing
when weather appears.
In a sudden gush,
hard winds roaring,
breath is taken, short in coming.
Heart is heavy with the fight.
On a dare, water starting,
trickling down and then a flood
Will there be any good?
Breathe!
My heart is worn
and must be strong
before it falls victim
to the lightning,
brightly angry
In the rain.
I seek a better place,
away from this storm of pain.
But how to escape
and can I win?
seeing through tears
I look around.
A cave ! I peer from it.
All is wet and ruined;
but the storm has stilled!
The mighty wind,
is now a breeze.
Sunshine dares a peek.
I can breathe!
I can grow.
Despite the pain
that weather brings,
My heart has faced a test,
and beat throughout
the storm’s progress.
A victory earned!
The storm is dead!
And I am breathing!
Copyright©2020-2023 Christina Crute

Dear Father,

You have brought us through so many storms already, so we know You will help us in our current storm, too. Please remind us that all storms are opportunities to lean on You and learn from You and maybe help others do the same. Thank You for loving us enough to help us no matter what we are facing or how scared we are. Increase our faith, please, and we will give You all the glory, forever and ever. We love You! Amen

Friends, I have missed being on here, missed you. Life got super busy!

With love from the Father to you, Have a great weekend. See you on Monday for “Monday Mindset.”

Tina

Taking Out The Garbage

November 10, 2020

Has this happened to you? It is trash day, time for you to throw out the garbage but you forget because you have a hundred things on your to-do list? That means new garbage will pile up as the can is full and cannot take any more. The new garbage will just go wherever we can fit it, as we eagerly wait for trash day to come around again.

Believe it or not, this is similar to how we deal with knowledge of God and information from the world. Much of the information that the world sends us via social media, tv, movies or magazines, honestly is garbage. It does not make us a better self. It just piles up in our brains. It needs to be disposed of before we can enjoy what we know is truth.

The truth from the Bible is life-sustaining and reusable; over and over we can use God’s word to feed on, grow spiritually healthy. It will not bog us down. The more truth we know about God, the lighter we actually feel!

The problem comes when we cannot tell what information is garbage and which is truth. Not everything in the world is bad. Things OF the world that are contrary to the Word of God are bad for us…kind of like junk food. We have things that the world may consider valuable, things that have been given to us, things we have earned, even popularity or fame, but…anything we have gained is garbage as compared to gaining Jesus. I will go with Paul’s honest appraisal of the world’s contribution to our lives and how valuable Christ is, in comparison:

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ. Philippians 3:7-8

The best part of holding the things of the world loosely or going without them is that we can gain more of Christ. I am sure you have heard the saying. “You can’t take it with you.” (This phrase is the title of a famous play in 1936 by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. Source: theidioms.com)

Not only can we not take it with us. We cannot let it pile up in excess and burden us down where we cannot easily get to Jesus. Hebrews 12:1 draws a great picture of our journey with Jesus. It is like a race. I love this analogy!

Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1 NJKV

Dear Father,

There are so many bright, shiny things in this word that beg us to value them and accumulate them. These things may make me happy for a period but can also weigh me down. Letting go is sometimes hard but then I feel so light after I release them. Any suffering or losing I do here is to gain You. Help keep my eyes on the eternal, not temporary things. You are my treasure for all time! Amen