The Lone Wolf

 

The wolf howls on the top of the mountain in front of a full moon….alone.  The pack can hear but she is not like them even though she is part of their pack. She thinks differently, walks differently, talks differently. The wolf takes part of the pack’s activities. She loves her pack but yet is still alone.  The wolf still howls at the moon, alone. 

How many of us know a lone wolf?

She sits in the corner, watching. She watches from the outside, looking in. The lone wolf smiles at the right things and quietly answers the questions being asked but deep down, she is misunderstood.

The lone wolf’s heart is guarded and often has many scars on it. Being understood hurts especially when the misunderstanding is from the ones she loves. She howls at night to let other lone wolves know that their loneliness is respected yet they don’t have to be lonely if they don’t want to be.

She hurts but inside. She cries, in a room alone. She feels when others can’t see, can’t sense.  Her mind, her heart and her spirit is locked like a vault.  A vault with a code that only certain chosen ones get to use it.

Each lone wolf is loved and a part of a pack. It’s just that the pack doesn’t fully grasp how the lone wolf’s brain and heart works. How the lone wolf perceives the world around them.

Are you a lone wolf?

The lone wolf is often a beast of beauty. Her vicious eyes glow in the light of night. She roams the darkness for love not meat. The lone wolf is often the one with a good heart, a body of faith. Many people around her don’t get to see the lone wolf’s full potential because they don’t understand and see the lone wolf’s true being.

Do you look from the outside in?

But there is one, one who sees all. We might not fully comprehend and understand the lone wolf but someone does. He sees right through her.  He sees what lies in her heart, what lies on her heart, what makes her heart beat.

Are you misunderstood?

He envelopes her in love, folds her in faith and holds her in hope. He gives her the confidence she needs to embrace being the lone wolf, the confidence to try and step out the corner, out of the night light into the light of the sun.

He is GOD.

 "For My eyes are on all their ways;

 they are not hidden from My face, 

nor is their iniquity concealed from My eyes"

Jeremiah 16:17

Where is your road leading to?

Isaiah 35: 8 says, "A road will be there; this highway will be called "The Road to Being Holy". Where is your road leading to?

We are all reminded that on earth, our life is a journey we take and our journey's road ultimately leads to somewhere. But where? Is your road leading you to fame, fortune or faith?

Further in Isaiah 35 in verse 10 says that this road will be for the people that God saves and the people that the Lord has freed will return. Will you be on this road?

What does your road look like? Mine, is long and it has cracks that God has filled with His living water. Mine also has speed bumps which some I have stumbled over and I'm sure I have some more coming but each time I stumble, I learn and turn back to the one who put me there. Sometimes, I think I skipped walking on my path, took a taxi and jumped a few miles ahead before I should have.

God didn't say our road had to look perfect, feel wrinkle free, and flow smoothly. He just wants us to let Him road trip with us. 

What do you think is at the end of your road? Well, I like to think and believe that the city of God is at the end of mine and a room awaits in His house for me. Will you be there in His house?

Every festive season, we are also reminded to put Christ back into Christmas but how can we expect people to do that if they haven't put Christ back in their life first? The birth of Jesus Christ was the beginning of our saving grace.

This festive season, I urge you to sit back, take a look at your road and where it's leading to. Is God traveling with you? Are you listening to Him guiding you? Telling you which way to go, which speed bumps to avoid?

Or you haven't invited Him yet? That's okay too. God doesn't put a time limit on His offer to save, bless and love. Consider it this festive season. Consider celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ this year by inviting Him to save you, forgive you and give you rebirth.

They will enter Jerusalem with joy,

and their happiness will last forever.

Their gladness and joy will fill them completely,

and sorrow and sadness will go far away

Isaiah 35: 

 

Never forget: You don't have to be perfect to be perfectly loved by God!

A piece of my heart

 

It's not often that I get personal in my blog. I don't like sharing personal things because it means I let people know the workings of my mind and the stirrings on my heart but then God reminds me that my personal blog might reach someone who needs encouragement, help and assurance that they are not alone.  So..this week I offer a piece of my heart.

Over the week-end I put this status on my social media page: "Maybe it's time to embrace being single and get ready to mingle". It's not the first time that I have pondered over this and it's not the first time I thought if I put this out in the public, I will be able to convince myself but that's not the case.

I am one of the lucky few who have family and friends around me who genuinely care for me and want to see me happy again. I'm sure for some of them, they are really tired of seeing me alone. But what they don't know, is that what is inside is not always portrayed outside.

I have realised in order for me to truly embrace being single, I have to face a few inner demons of my own. I have been a widow for over 10 years, having only been with one man in my life, it's not easy trying to let your guard down and open yourself up to that again. I'm not worried about losing a man in my life but I do have issues trying to be intimate with someone again, especially when you have had a really, deep loving connection with someone. You try to discover if you have the ability to connect like that again and I have no idea if I can. I also don't think someone else needs to get hurt or rejected because I have issues. That's not fair.

Another thing is, you have to start seeing what others see in you and let's be honest, what I see in the mirror is definitely not what others see. My family and friends around me continue to tell me what an amazing woman I am, how genuine and loving I am. I've been told that I have so much to offer but what they don't realize is I don't see that when I look in the mirror.  Now, before you start thinking "lack of self esteem", I don't lack it. To me, I am a plain Jane who truly cares for people and I look after and worry about others before myself. Doing too much for myself, often seems selfish to me and that's not because I don't think I deserve it, it's just my personality. It's who I am.

And I am not a dater! The thought of going on many dates trying to find the one (again!) seems like a lot of work and effort. Yes, I know if I don't make the effort, how will I ever know but seriously, do I have to!! My friends are way more adventurous than I am and they take dating in their stride but me, it feels like going to job interviews and I don't interview well! Did I add that I am one of the shyest people too when I am alone.

The only thing I could think of to deal with this, is lay it at God's feet.
He might send someone along for me or He might not. Maybe, God wants me to be alone and if I get that answer, I will be completely fine with that. But if God's plan is different then I seriously have to get the message right and walk in faith knowing He is guiding me..So here's me handing my piece of heart to God.

May you too always feel blessed and loved in God's light!  

The Fence

 

Did you ever sit on a fence or a narrow wall and just looked around? The world is all around you but every fence has two sides. Generally, one side is to keep things in and the other side is the rest of the world, the  great outdoors.

A fence is like many decisions we are faced with in our life. We can either choose the option which keeps things simple, protected or we can step out of our comfort zone and take a risk, not always knowing what will happen.

Like a fence, you can't really say whether it's backwards or forwards because it depends which way you are facing while sitting on the fence.

How often have you wondered if you could just stay on the fence, undecided, but life, as we know it, doesn't allow it because something or someone will come along forcing us to decide. I think, what makes sitting on the fence confusing, is that many times both sides and all around looks good, promising.


Who makes us climb onto that fence? Who makes us sit there what seems like many hours considering the choices we have?

God puts us there.

God knows which side we need  to follow but God loves us and gives us the gift of free will which means it is  up to us. But we are not alone on that ledge. You are surrounded by the Holy Trinity. Jesus sits on your left, the Holy Spirit on the right and God is above, all coaching you, nudging you in His direction.

God waits until He can't wait anymore and that's often when something or someone comes along to help us make a decision.

Sometimes God keeps putting us back on the fence, waiting until we finally get it and sometimes He just leaves us there for a good while wanting us to look around and embrace, love, enjoy and be grateful for the life He blessed us with.

So, if you find yourself sitting on the fence trying to figure out what to do, remember to look to your left, your right and above. Talk to them because they are the only trusting voices you need to hear and obey. God didn't say it would be easy. He just said believe in Me. God put you there, let Him give you what you need to jump off and walk with Him.

Whether we pick the right side of the fence, just remember that God can always turn a wrong into a right!

Trust the Lord with all your heart,

and don't depend on your own understanding.

Prov. 3:5

Whoever listens to what is taught will succeed, 

and whoever trusts the Lord will be happy.

Prov. 16:20 

The Power of Aslan

How many times, do we feel like we are trapped and in a very dark place or space? How many times has Satan or one of his followers whispered into our ear, promising us all the desires of our heart?

On the 8th October 2015, I went to see the production of "The Silver Chair", the sixth book in the Narnia series by C.S.  Lewis. I finally saw what it meant to me as a Christian. The message I received was very clear to me during it.

It became so clear to me that sometimes Satan whispers in our ear promising bigger and better things. Power, money, status. Things that we think we can't get for ourselves by asking and trusting God. And the more and louder he whispers, the more we believe until it's too late and we find ourselves, like the lost prince, underground in a dark space waiting for the whispered dreams to be fulfilled. You also become enchanted and under his spell, no longer hearing God's voice. The lost prince, too could no longer feel Aslan's presence or hear his voice.

In Narnia, Aslan sends two chosen children to save the enchanted prince. Have you ever met people along your path? Have they tried to save you? Is it possible that God sent them?

God, whether we realise it or not, does send special people to bring us back to His love and power and once again, the right, intended bigger and better things start to occur in our life.

Following God helps us to bring us out of our dark place and into the light. Like the power of Aslan, the power of God helps us to see His creation around us as profound and a blessing.

Narnia is a wondrous place filled with mountains, blue skies, fluffy white clouds and green grass. All creation around Aslan bow to him, knowing that he is their God and Saviour. They walk with him in faith and grace, knowing that no other loves and cares for them as much as he does.

Do you see Narnia around you? Do you know the power of God working in your life today?
Do you know that God loves and cares for you more than anyone can?

Or are you still like the lost prince, too enchanted and trapped to look up towards God's light? God will wait for you and he will never leave, nor forsake you.

Lord, because I am poor and helpless,

please remember me.

You are my helper and Savior.

My God, do not wait.

Ps. 40:17

 

The Nerd in the Herd

Centuries ago, he walked this earth, in his flowing robe and his weathered sandals. No doubt his feet were dirty and his hair unkept. I can only imagine that he wasn't one of the most fashionable people. He wasn't the latest trend but he was being followed. He was the "Nerd" in the Herd. This man was Jesus.

If Jesus walked the earth today, he would still be ridiculed, insulted and bullied. We would doubt his "power" and know that he wouldn't be in the "popular" group. But he would still be important.

Bullying has been around a lot longer than we realise. Today, it is more widespread as we have the internet. Bullies are found in our homes, in our schools and in our workplace.The results of being bullied can be life-lasting and affects every area of our life.

The sad thing about it is a lot of the time, the bully is also a victim and in need of more help. A bully is often someone who is being abused elsewhere, has self esteem issues and even behavourial issues. A bully transfers their problem onto others as they have not been given the skills or space to express their emotions in a healthy and safe manner.

Bottom line, bullying in any shape or form is unacceptable. And it seems to be getting worse. This makes me think of Jesus. Jesus walked around to different places talking to people that others wouldn't necessarily approach. He told odd stories that not many could understand and he did miracles that people only believed if they saw it. Jesus must have had people bullying him through hurtful words and in the end, got physically bullied and abused yet God used His Son in the most powerful way ever. Jesus gave us the living word as told by others and God sacrificed Jesus to save us.

Jesus was a victim of bullies and God lifted Him up and did great things through Him. I find it fascinating too that even today, God uses a lot of victims of bullies to become great people who do great things. "Nerds" today become our famous scientists of tomorrow, presidents of the future and inventors of all time. Odd, bullied people often gain the strength the bully actually never gets by not giving up and knowing that there will come a day where their suffering will be their saving.

So....to those who get bullied, feeling often alone and like no one cares, believe me when I say, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. You are also a "nerd" in the herd, and like Jesus you might be ridiculed but this does not have to shape who you are. Jesus walked in the victim's shoes and He walks alongside you today, wearing those same shoes.  Talk to him...he listens, he knows, he understands.

Jesus did have people that believed in Him and I am sure you too have people around you who truly believe in you and love you for being the "nerd" in the herd. Trust in God to use you for great things as a person not a victim!

And to those who bully, YOU TOO ARE NOT ALONE. May God help you to see you need His help as much as the person you pick on, if not more. Don't let other people cause you to be a bully. Stand up for yourself in a healthy manner and if you can't, ask for help and keep asking until someone does. If you feel like no one loves you or understands you, know this that GOD loves you, GOD hears you and God understands you completely and unconditionally!

He too has great things planned for you. It's up to you to allow Him to help you change and trust Him to work in your life.

God always sends someone in our path to guide us, lead us and help us succeed. You just have to open your heart, your mind and your soul to receive them.

Show respect for all people: Love the brothers and sisters of God's family, 

respect God, honor the King.

1 Peter 2:17

...but answer in a gentle way and with respect.

Keep a clear conscience so that those who speak evil of your good life 

in Christ will be ashamed.

1 Peter 3:16

The Dark Side

We all have a dark side, no matter how saved we might believe. Lately, we are intrigued by things from the dark side and this can be seen by our TV. programmes, movies and books. As Christians, we are taught to leave our dark side and temptations behind by turning to God’s words and ways.

So, how do we “feed” our interest in the  dark side without really “feeding” it? This is where, for me, my love for series come into it. I "feed" it by watching a series like “Supernatural”. This series is about two brothers who are hunters. They hunt for demons and basically anything from the dark side or hell. I enjoy watching the fight between good and evil. Angels do make appearances as well as heaven.  And of course, good always wins!

Is this right? Should I be "feeding" it anyway? Honestly, I don't know.  I need more thought on this one.

I also feel it’s a lot safer than playing games like “Charlie, Charlie” which is trending around the world at the moment. This game is currently being played by kids from primary school age and upwards, where they call spirits to appear. This is dangerous regardless of your age to play as we are not informed on all things dark.  

Dabbling in the dark arts is and will never be a good idea, regardless of age and generation. Demons are out there and so are Angels. I know Satan would love us to dabble and mess around with it because it gives him the gateway to get closer to us but don’t allow him to take the beauty and power of God in your life. The spiritual realm is constantly at war so let’s help by listening and following God. Let’s help by turning from our sins.

The Bible tells us not to do spells, speak to the dead and tell fortunes, etc. We have to remember that Satan is a fallen angel. An angel created by God. Now, we know how we find comfort and beauty in God’s angels and we have an inkling of how powerful they are so imagine how powerful Satan can be especially since God created him.

God wants us to fear Him because of His amazing power and abilities to do things but we also need to fear Satan because He might not be as powerful as God but He does have power and abilities. Now, imagine how powerful his demons are, especially since they were created by one of God’s fallen angels.

Do not delve in dark magic as the dark side is just as mysterious as the light side. God warns us to stay away for very good reasons and we should be scared, not intrigued. Unfortunately, we are like children, who means we don’t often listen to God’s warnings and we test the world around us by trying things we, deep down, know we should not try.

I do believe that dark does exist but I know that I am more protected by God’s light and the spiritual realm and while I keep my eyes on Him, Satan has no place in my soul.  

How do you handle your "dark side"?

Don't let anyone among you offer a son or daughter as a sacrifice in the fire.

Don't let anyone use magic or witchcraft, or try to explain the meaning of signs. 

Don't let anyone try to control others with magic, and don't let them be mediums or try to talk with the spirits of dead people.

Deut. 18:10 - 12