Ann Farabee

By Ann Farabee

     We knew it would be a masterpiece because we were working our first mystery puzzle. Instead of dumping the pieces on the table and looking at the picture on the box as our guide, we had taken on the challenge of NOT looking at the box and not knowing what the puzzle picture would be.

     Slowly – and after much longer than a puzzle normally took – it was brought to completion – almost. We were missing one piece. Yes – one piece. The puzzle maintained its residence on the table much longer than our previous puzzles, because without that one piece, we knew it was not complete.  The puzzle would remain there until it was.

      A mystery? A puzzle? A mystery puzzle? Yes, not only had the picture on the puzzle been a mystery, but now puzzle piece Number 1000 was missing.

      The words mystery and puzzle both can be defined as something baffling or perplexing, because it cannot be fully understood. Life sure can feel like that, can’t it? As our puzzle of life is put together piece by piece, a beautiful picture is formed. It is a mystery – a beautiful mystery.

We are all different.

We all have a story.

We are all an important part of God’s handiwork.

We cannot see how our story will look when it is finished – but God can.                                                                                        

Sometimes, it feels as though we are just moving pieces of our ‘life puzzle’ around, trying to force them into places where they do not fit.

Why do they not fit there? 

They do not fit there because they were not made to fit there.

Yes, a piece of our puzzle had gone missing.

That was not okay.

The puzzle would never be complete – unless we found it.

     Did we search for the missing puzzle piece? Yes – diligently! We searched chairs, cushions, tables, drawers, furniture, cabinets, under the carpet, in the washing machine, and in the dryer. We searched everywhere we thought a piece of puzzle would hide. Finally, I suggested a search through the dirty vacuum cleaner bag – and there it was! I happily dusted it off and used it to bring about the completion of the mystery puzzle.

     Matthew 18:11-13 tells of a shepherd that had 100 sheep. One wandered away – and was lost. Would the shepherd leave the 99 to search for the 1? He sure did. When he found the 1, he rejoiced more over it than over the 99 who did not go astray.

      That is how we felt when we found the one missing puzzle piece. Without it, the puzzle would not have been complete.

      The Shepherd came looking for us when we went astray and rejoiced when He found us.  Without the 1, the flock was not complete.

      Some things I cannot understand. Why, Jesus, would You come looking for us?  Why would You go searching for the 1? We are not worthy.

      But I know the answer – Jesus came to save that which was lost – that was us. He formed us. He loves us. He has prepared a place for us – and heaven would not be complete without us.

     Thank You, Heavenly Father, for looking for the 1.

     I am the one.  So are you.

By Ann Farabee

She was not the only one, but she is the one I remember most.

She was a student in my class.

She was beautiful.

She was intelligent.

She did her schoolwork perfectly.

She never did her homework.

She often came to school dirty.

She rarely talked.

She was a loner.

She was sad.

She was a victim of neglect.

How could a young child be so neglected? I soon discovered that it was partly because her family was going through a crisis and needed financial help. I intervened by seeking assistance to help meet their needs. She was able to receive help in the moment – and hope for the future.

She was changed. She had been paid attention to. She had been cared for properly. She is now a stay-at-home mom who helps her husband run a successful business, and who recently thanked me for not neglecting her.

Hebrews 2:3 warns us, “How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?”

Neglect means to fail to pay attention to or fail to care for properly.

Can we fail to pay attention to our salvation?

Can we fail to care for our salvation properly?

Yes, we can.

We can neglect our salvation by failing to accept the gift of salvation.

     Acts 16:31 tells us that if we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, we will be saved.               Romans 6:23 says that the gift of God is eternal life.

We can neglect our salvation by failing to pay attention to it.

     Accepting Christ is not the end of the matter – it is the beginning. It is not just a ticket to heaven. It is not a religion – it is a relationship. It needs to be nurtured and never neglected.

     We can nurture it through prayer, praise, perseverance, reading God’s Word, worshipping our Savior, serving our Savior, and telling the world what the Lord has done for us.

     We can nurture it by making prayer our lifestyle, because when we pray, we are communicating with the One who died on the cross, was buried, and rose again, so that we could live forever.

How can we neglect our salvation and expect to hear the voice of God in our lives?

How can we drift away or take a wrong course when Jesus is our anchor?

Our salvation came at the greatest cost there has ever been – or ever could be – and all we have to do is accept it – not reject it – and refuse to neglect it.

By Ann Farabee

What is worship?

Worship is a way of life and also an activity, where we praise, adore, and express reverence for God. It is when we give our deepest affections and highest praise to God privately and in public. Worship means we encounter God – with praise!

Why worship?

Because God is our Redeemer.

      * I will redeem you with an outstretched arm.

        Exodus 6:5

Because God created us.

      * God created man in his own image.

        Genesis 1:27

Because God is Lord over all.

       * For at just the right time Christ will be revealed from heaven by the only God –

         The King of kings and the Lord of lords.

         1 Timothy 6:15

Because God is the Alpha and Omega.

       * I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

         Revelation 22:13

Because God is worthy.

        * You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power.

          Revelation 4:11

Who worships?

      * The woman at the well did.

        She was changed by the living water – and ran to tell others.

      * Paul and Silas did.

        They sang praises and prayed while in prison – and prison doors opened wide.

      * The woman with the alabaster box did.

         She washed the feet of Jesus with her tears and wiped them with her hair.

       * Abraham did.

         He was obedient in his willingness to sacrifice his son.

       * Jesus did.

          He prayed in the garden, “Not my will, but thine be done.”

Worship or warship?

 As I was concluding a lesson I was teaching to children about worship, one little guy said, “I thought the lesson was going to be about a warship.”

 I knew that a God moment had arrived.

 I had taught the lesson, but a child had delivered the message:

 A warship is armed.

 A warship can withstand damage.

 A warship is easier to maneuver than other ships.

 A warship carries weapons, ammunition, and supplies.

Worship is our warship.

Worship helps us fight our battles.

Worship keeps us in a place of protection.

Worship arms us with what we need.

As we prepare for battle, may our worship be our warship.

Let us take up our arms in praise to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

By Ann Farabee

Worship or warship?

What is worship?

Worship is a way of life and also an activity, where we praise, adore, and express reverence for God. It is when we give our deepest affections and highest praise to God privately and in public. Worship means we encounter God – with praise!

Why worship?

Because God is our Redeemer.

      * I will redeem you with an outstretched arm.

        Exodus 6:5

Because God created us.

      * God created man in his own image.

        Genesis 1:27

Because God is Lord over all.

       * For at just the right time Christ will be revealed from heaven by the only God –

         The King of kings and the Lord of lords.

         1 Timothy 6:15

Because God is the Alpha and Omega.

       * I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

         Revelation 22:13

Because God is worthy.

        * You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power.

          Revelation 4:11

Who worships?

      * The woman at the well did.

        She was changed by the living water – and ran to tell others.

      * Paul and Silas did.

        They sang praises and prayed while in prison – and prison doors opened wide.

      * The woman with the alabaster box did.

         She washed the feet of Jesus with her tears and wiped them with her hair.

       * Abraham did.

         He was obedient in his willingness to sacrifice his son.

       * Jesus did.

          He prayed in the garden, “Not my will, but thine be done.”

Worship or warship?

 As I was concluding a lesson I was teaching to children about worship, one little guy said, “I thought the lesson was going to be about a warship.”

 I knew that a God moment had arrived.

 I had taught the lesson, but a child had delivered the message:

 A warship is armed.

 A warship can withstand damage.

 A warship is easier to maneuver than other ships.

 A warship carries weapons, ammunition, and supplies.

Worship is our warship.

Worship helps us fight our battles.

Worship keeps us in a place of protection.

Worship arms us with what we need.

As we prepare for battle, may our worship be our warship.

Let us take up our arms in praise to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

By Ann Farabee

     The beautiful ten year old girl with long blonde hair, dressed in a magnificent pink and white outfit, picked up the next birthday gift to open. Ripping the ribbon and the paper away so she could get to it quickly happened in a split second, as those at her party watched.

     When she finally got into the box, she began to cry. She threw it onto the floor, with the gift still inside, while screaming, “I don’t want it!”

     I am certain that her mother was quite embarrassed as party-goers were standing by to see her open the gifts they had brought. For the party not only included other 12 year olds, but also their parents. The reason I am so certain the mother was embarrassed is because I was the mother!

     To say I still remember that moment from over 25 years ago would be an understatement.

All the parents in attendance had politely laughed it off, but I was not laughing. Mortified would be a better descriptive word.

     Not only had she rejected the gift, but she did not even care enough to take it out of the box to look at it.

     What on Earth was she thinking?

     That beautiful gift remained in the box on her closet floor for way too long. Then, one day, she opened it, put the outfit on, and proudly pranced around to show it to us. I could not help myself – I had to remind her that she had said she didn’t want it. Her response, “I didn’t know how beautiful it was! I do want it!”

     It became her favorite. It became the outfit she would not – and could not – live without.

Had she never opened it up and received the gift, she would have missed out on the greatest outfit ever!

     Thankfully, we are not like that! No, we would never respond that way. Only a child would not accept a gift that had been so freely given, right?

       * Ephesians 2:8 tells us that by grace are we saved through faith – and not of ourselves.

It is the gift of God.

It’s a gift. Don’t reject it! Receive it!

      *Romans 6:23 tells us that the wages of sin is death – but the gift of God is eternal life.

It’s a gift. Don’t reject it! Receive it!

     *Ecclesiastes 3:12-13 tells us that the ability to rejoice and enjoy life is a gift from God.

It’s a gift. Don’t reject it! Receive it!

      *James 1:17 says that every good and perfect gift is from above and comes down from the the Father of lights.

Look toward the sky and envision our heavenly Father – who is the Father of lights – showering down every good and perfect gift from above directly onto us.

It is the gift of God.

Receive it!

Yes, the ten year old rejected her gift. She thought she did not want it – but time proved her wrong! She did want it!

We can be the same way – by not receiving the gift of God.

What on Earth are we thinking?

I mean – what in Heaven’s name are we thinking?

I am not sure what we may all be thinking in heaven – but we will always have the gift of the power to praise our Savior. Bowing around the throne to worship, we may say something like this, “Alleluia, Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power unto You, the Lord our God. Thank You, Lord! We praise You!”

There are – and will always be – gifts of God.

They are available for us on Earth and in Heaven.

We just need to reach out to receive them.

The tudes matter.

They make a difference.

They move us forward.

They make our goals achievable.

What are the tudes?

•  ATTI-TUDE – Attitude is a settled way of thinking about something.

Finally brothers, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; it there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. Philippians 4:8-9

Do we need the God of peace to be with us?

YES!

Practice these things + Adjust our attitude = God of peace will be with us.

•  GRATI-TUDE -Gratitude is the quality of being thankful.

In every thing give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Do we want to be in the will of God?

YES!

Give thanks in every thing =  for this is the will of God concerning us.

Every thing means every thing.

•  MAGNI-TUDE – Magnitude is the great size or extent of something.

God, in these last days, spoke unto us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. Hebrews 1:2-3

If those verses did not take your breath away, read them again!

God is the God of great magnitude!

Can we live a life of magnitude?

YES!

Living a life of magnitude will honor our God of great magnitude!

THINK BIG! 

LOVE BIG!

LIVE BIG!

We can do that – because God is with us – and we are His children.

•  FORTI-TUDE – Fortitude is our strength in the time of adversity or difficulty.

Can we live a life of fortitude?

YES!

Our children learn about fortitude at an early age, as they sing these words:

Jesus loves me – this I know

For the Bible tells me so

Little ones to Him belong

They are weak – but He is strong.

For when we are weak – He is strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10

It is God that gives us strength and makes our way perfect. Psalm 18:32

*We really should not make choices as though this is the only life we will have.

*We need to use what we have.

*We need to do what we can.

Ready? Set? Go…

Attitude.

Gratitude.

Magnitude.

Fortitude.

By Ann Farabee

Another day. Just like yesterday. And the day before. Going out to beg for money. He had found a pretty good spot to beg, and he returned there each day. Actually, he was carried there each day, because he had been lame since birth.

His location for begging had probably been given some thought. It was at the temple -and the gate where he laid each day was named Beautiful.

The lame beggar’s expectations would have been no different on this day than on any other day. Sometimes a few people heading into the temple to pray may toss a coin or two his direction, but he also had days when no one seemed to even notice him.

But on this day – he got a whole lot more than the financial help he had hoped for!

Next, in this account from Acts 3:1-11, Peter and John walked up, and even though Beautiful Gate – their intended location – was right in front of them, they stopped. Peter fastened his eyes on the beggar, and said, “Look on us.”

Powerful words. That is when the beggar probably sensed something was going to be different about this day, as he humbly looked up, preparing to hear their words. He paid attention. He listened with expectation.

For Peter and John saw not what the beggar was at that moment, but who the beggar was… Peter then spoke, “Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have, give I thee: In the name of Jesus, rise up and walk.”

What a beautiful prayer said at Beautiful Gate! He reached out to the beggar – oh did he reach out! He lifted him up! The beggar’s feet and ankle bones began to receive strength – so of course – he leaped up, stood, and walked. He could have run home right then, but instead he chose to enter the temple – walking and leaping and praising God!

Walking! Leaping! Praising God!

The people took notice! They knew him – they knew exactly who he was – the lame man who came daily to the gate. The one who was hoping for a few coins… but on this day had received so much more!

 In the name of Jesus – he had been healed!

The people were filled with wonder and amazement. When they saw it, they RAN to Solomon’s porch to hear Peter speak about believing and receiving Jesus as their Lord.

 A beggar.

 At Beautiful.

 Blessed beyond belief.

A lame man.

No longer a lame man.

Need healing?

The lame beggar came EVERY day to the temple.

 And…ONE day was THE day he was healed.

 For with God – nothing shall be impossible.

 Nothing means nothing.

By Ann Farabee

“I told my children about you,” she said, “I showed them a book we made in Sunday School.”

It had been over 30 years ago and the tools used to hold the book together were a hole puncher and some yarn. The title was, “The Story of Jesus.” Each page was simple – but the book contained the story the world most needs to hear.

She saved it. She showed it to her children. She told them about me.

That makes me smile.

Every Sunday morning, I went. I was on time. I was prepared.

It was a privilege. It was never a burden.

Sacrifice? Yes.

Time? Yes.

Money? Yes.

Commitment? Yes.

Homemade brownies for students? Often.

They were my students  – and we grew in the Lord together.

The students who sat in my classroom changed over the years as they began to grow up, but the power of the story of Jesus did not.

Decades later, I know many of them as adults.

It brings me great joy to see Jesus as the center of their lives.

Years of going to Sunday School every week to teach the children?

Totally worth it.

As a teenager, I remember sitting on the living room floor of my youth pastor’s home, surrounded by many others. One night he said, “Ann, would you read 1 Corinthians 13 for us?” I was scared, but I began leafing through the pages of my Bible, trying desperately to find it. The 13 verses seemed long at first, but the more I read, the more I felt something I did not recognize. I now know that it was the presence of the Holy Spirit in the room. As I read the last verse, “And now abides faith, hope, love – these three. But the greatest of these is love,” a tear fell onto the page. It was mine.

I had no idea that night as I nervously read those verses to the youth group that in the future, I would be reading many verses many times with many students.

The Lord was directing my steps, even though I had no idea that Psalm 37:23 gives us that exact promise – He will direct our steps!

Looking back? Yes. We need to tell the next generation the praises of the Lord, his strength, and the wonderful works he has done. Psalm 78:4

Hearing a former student tell me she told her children about me?

And then showing me the book we made in Sunday School ?

Priceless.

Our efforts will last for generations to come.

Serve the Savior.

It is worth it.

By Ann Farabee

When we go out into battle against our enemies, see horses and chariots, and are seemingly outnumbered, what should we do?

Horses?

Chariots?

What do they have to do with it?

Horses and chariots represented power, as the Israelites were facing overwhelming opposition.

Power is also how we fight our enemies.

But not with the power of horses and chariots.

Deuteronomy 20:3 gives us a great game plan for what NOT to do:

 *Do not faint.

 *Do not fear.

 *Do not tremble.

 *Do not be terrified.

Easy to say, right?

To faint would mean to weaken in purpose or spirit.

To fear would mean to be afraid.

To tremble would mean to shake involuntarily, as a result of anxiety.

To be terrified would mean to be in a state of intense fear or desperation.

I cannot speak for you – but I have actually been there – faint, fear, trembling, and terrified – all at once.

I was battling an enemy.

I saw – and felt – the power of the enemy.

I saw that I was outnumbered by the forces of the enemy.

It seemed to be a battle I could not win.

But then, Joshua 1:9 came along, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Going through something in our lives is often quite personal, but whether we go through it alone or with the support of others, it will work out.

How do we know?

Deuteronomy 20:4 tells us so:

For the Lord our God

Goes with us

To fight for us

Against our enemies

To save us.

The Lord our God goes with us.

We do not have to go alone.

The Lord our God fights for us against our enemies.

We do not even have to fight.

The Lord our God will save us.

We do not even have to worry about the outcome.

We win.

By Ann Farabee

   Sometimes, a wait in the hospital ‘waiting room’ isn’t too bad – like when waiting for a new baby or for a loved one’s ‘simple’ surgery to end, but quite often the ‘waiting room’ can be a very difficult place. I have become quite the expert in this area, so here are some tips to improve your ‘waiting room’ experience:

   *Sometimes, you may have to leave your loved one’s hospital room and go to a waiting room. There, you can allow your tears to flow more freely. This is when others will hug you, comfort you, pray for you, or just know to let you have a few minutes alone.

   *Coffee and water is always available. If the coffee pot gets empty, someone will make more.

   *There are baskets filled with snacks and magazines, often brought by members of local churches. And… Bibles brought by Gideons.

   *Exhausted? Pull two chairs together. Ask someone for pillows and blankets. Voila! You have a bed. ‘Chair sleeping’ can be a bit awkward, so someone will try to convince you to go home and rest, while they take your place in the ‘waiting room’ for a few hours. Take them up on the offer.

    *If it gets cold, ask for a heated blanket. There always seems to be a compassionate person that will find you one.

    *You may notice others waiting, too. Sharing ‘waiting room’ time is precious, since you can be there for each other.

    *People on the hospital staff may stop by to update you. It makes you feel that people  care… and they do!

     Did this ‘waiting room’ sound familiar? Ever been there? It is so similar to the ‘waiting rooms’ of life – where we spend much of our time. Situations or circumstances need to change. Answers need to come. We pray. We wait.

     Matthew 25:35-40 says: “When I was hungry, you gave me meat. When I was thirsty, you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you took me in. I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me. I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these, you have done it unto me.”

     God always puts people in our path to help in times of waiting. They may provide nourishment for us – maybe a basket with food. Maybe they nourish us by sharing God’s Word. They give us drink – like coffee or water – or  maybe they guide us to the water of life, so we will never thirst again. They clothe us – sometimes by covering us with a warm blanket – or speaking warm words to strengthen us. They know our waiting is excruciating – and they support us by their presence and prayers. Sometimes, we feel trapped – as if in prison – during that ‘waiting room’ experience – but God always sends comfort our way – often through others, wanting to help bear our burdens.

      No, the ‘waiting room’ is not always a happy place, but it does not have to be a lonely place. Sometimes, when we are in the ‘waiting room’ and are hurting, we may not even share with others that we are in that season of waiting. People cannot read our minds, so we need to ask for support. How can they know to help us, if they don’t know our need?

    Oh, what amazing things I have learned in my ‘waiting room’ experiences! Giving and receiving! Loving and being loved! Serving and being served! Trusting God! Resting in His Promises! (Just to name a few!)

   Aren’t you thankful for the ‘Matthew 25:35-40’ people in your life? They are always there when we endure difficult ‘waiting room’ experiences. They help us through what is often the hardest – but yet can be the sweetest – times of our lives. They help us to be ‘better’ instead of ‘bitter.’ Their love and guidance helps the circumstance to become one that ‘makes us’ instead of one that ‘breaks us.’

   And for those in the middle of a ‘waiting room’ experience, here is a verse to enjoy as you wait: Psalm 27:14 – Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

   I’m waiting, Lord. I trust You.