Secret Place

by   June 10, 2024 with No Comments

By Rhonda Sassano

Secret Place

I died nearly 8 years ago.  I was at home when I had a major cardiac event, and I literally dropped dead. My family was home, and did their best to revive me, but with no success, they called the EMTs who shocked me back no less than five times. When I was finally stable enough to be transported to the hospital, of course, I went straight to the ICU. After many tests and procedures, no one seem to know what had happened exactly, or even why if it happened. And in the weeks and months that followed, I underwent more tests to determine what had gone wrong and how it could be prevented in the future. But at the six month mark, the doctors determined that I was completely healthy, completely normal, and took me off all eight medications I had been placed on.  Now, nearly 8 years later, I never even think about it; I just expect to be healthy, normal, and functioning properly.

Thursday, this past week, I had an appointment for a pre-op consultation. I need to undergo a simple procedure that many women my age endure. The doctor performing the consultation asked me about the cardiac event from eight years ago. I related to him the basics, and that I hadn’t had any trouble since and that I was on no medication. He did a brief EKG, drew some blood, and expressed concern with the upcoming surgery.  He insisted I visit the  original cardiologist for clearance before proceeding with surgery. When I seem nonplussed and unconvinced, he pulled up some documents on his computer and highlighted a few sentences there. He invited me over to the screen and read them out loud to me. The sentences stated that a couple key issues were present and were the cause of the heart attack. Also, the bloodwork revealed that another issue is currently present and could also present challenges for the surgery and beyond. 

As you can imagine, I was shocked, and devastated is not too strong a word, and very annoyed that the original cardiologist had not relayed this information to my husband and myself. And on my way home, I found myself an emotional mess. I found myself struggling to continue to believe that I had been 100% healed. I heard myself say out loud: “I do not believe the report of the doctor. I believe the word of the Lord. I have been healthy, normal with a perfectly functioning heart for the last eight years… Why should now be any different?” And then I realized that water retention is another symptom of a heart that isn’t pumping correctly…. Oooh.  “Okay Father, you have my attention.”  But for the rest of the day and the next, I felt… vulnerable.  Let down.  Doubt and belief literally warred in my thoughts and spirit.  And yes.  Depression was there, too, to put in his two cents. That neglected blob (who was well-contained a couple articles ago) was back with a vengeance.  Like a demented wizard, he swirled his fingers through my emotions, churning them up and daring me to let the dam break.  

At some point, I said aloud, “I’m not giving in.  I’m not going back there.  I will honor the Lord even with my response to this news, and even while I am completely alone.  He is worthy of my trust, regardless of the report, regardless of the prognosis. The least I can do is give Him glory for His past healing and claim it again for my future.”  You’d think the waves would’ve calmed down then, right?  Sorry, no.  My words do have power, but not like His!  So I began to quote Ps 91 “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”  I stopped to muse about it. How do I dwell in the secret place?  Where IS the secret place? How do I find it and how do I stay there?  And is it a secret place or a secret place? As the emotions swelled with longing, tears coursed down my cheeks.  “Father,” I whispered, “that is all I want. I want your secret place to be mine, too.  You invite me to it, right here, but I don’t know how to get there.”  And I thought about the disciples questioning Jesus with where He was going and why they couldn’t follow Him there… Jesus’ gentle reply soothed my heart, “You know the way.”  I took a deep breath.  The challenge had been presented… “Father, you want me to ask you what you want to say to me. But I don’t want to, because I’m afraid of the answer.  And that makes no sense because you are always good, You’ve never made a mistake with me, so why I am so hesitant? But I want to know your heart. So I ask you, Father, what do you want to say to me?” 

“My precious Rhonda, my darling daughter!  I love you SO crazy much!  You are worth the life of my very own only Son.. what else would I not give you for the asking?  I know this is tough.  Really tough! But you can DO it, you can handle it or I wouldn’t have put it on you.  But don’t take on the burden of provision. That is MY job.  You just do the next thing and be faithful to ask and obey.  That’s all!  I won’t let you fall. I won’t forsake you.  I won’t torture you by hiding.  I’m HERE.  Always present, closer than close.  Your  very breath! And your sacrifice of worship thrills me and blesses me and I literally dance with joy over you when you come in your sorrow and doubts and misgivings…. I don’t judge you for them.  I see them; I know them.  I’m so very proud of you for acknowledging them and believing me anyway.”  Sobbing with relief, I cried, “I believe, Father, help my unbelief.”

An alarm on my phone sounded loudly and with a rush, reality took over:  time to clock in to work! I dried my face and breezed by the parents and clients in the lobby, hoping for zero interactions.  “Thank you, Lord,” I breathed as the hallway door closed behind me. 10 minutes later, child in hand, another alarm went off, this time a reminder to be grateful, to be content with now.  I focused my heart and tried to repeat the words with depth and meaning.  Feeling nothing, I silenced the alarm.  All day, every hour, similar alarms reminded me to “be grateful, be content with now.” I wondered if my diligence would result in any fruit at all.  I slept fitfully that night. 

Saturday morning dawned. I awoke praying in the Spirit.  Gratefulness swept through my soul.  “I guess I’m going to be ok!” I looked around for Blob (the depression.  See my article “A long time coming”)  Still in his plexiglass box, he was now small and wimpy, very un-threatening! “Thank you that Your Word is true, even if it takes some patience…” 

So life goes on.  According to the doctor, my heart isn’t working at 100%.  I acknowledge the facts.  But the truth is different than the facts. According to the Word, my heart beats at the command of my Father!  And every day that I’m alive and have energy to do the things in front of me is a day that I’ve experienced healing!  I had a measure of faith eight years ago, for an instant, miraculous healing.  Now I need a bigger faith to believe for healing every day, to hear the doctor’s report and let it impact my actions toward a healthier lifestyle without allowing  it to decrease my faith in His ability and willingness to provide health and even healing.  And yes, I still sense the tension between belief and unbelief.  It’s a tightrope walk, for sure! But the tightrope is in the secret place.  And that’s all I want. 

“God is not looking for those who can but those who will.”

Losing is…?

by   June 10, 2024 with No Comments

Have you ever played for a team that lost the game? I have. It doesn’t feel good. The team you are about to meet has lost 70 plus games in a row! There is much to learn from this team and their coach. Watch and see what Steve Hartman learned…

Beneath the Red Plum Tree

by   June 9, 2024 with No Comments

By Ashlie Miller

Those who walk our neighborhood will see a nook with a red plum tree, lenten roses, a small rose bush, and butterfly bushes. It is a sweet habitat for small-winged creatures. Several years ago, a friend planted the red plum tree. Very fragile and needing support at first to protect it from wind and kids playing in the cul-de-sac, it has now grown sturdy enough for a 6-year-old boy to climb its low branches and observe from his perch. On his latest climb, he scurried down with jubilant news, “I found a berry, or a cherry, or something!” He often calls out something of noteworthy excitement to his older brothers, whose affection and approval he desperately seeks. As older brothers frequently do, they ignored his pronouncement, likely in disbelief. I walked over to see his discovery and boost his confidence. Sure enough, a cherry-sized plum hidden deep in leaves of the same hue hung from a branch. My son found one on the ground, which we dissected for closer inspection and confirmation. 

Perhaps the biggest surprise wasn’t just the bitter/tart taste but the fact that in having this tree for over six years, none of us had noticed this was a fruit-producing tree, assuming it was like a Bradford pear. Although the fruit is more for the birds than humans, we still have overlooked it. Has it been bearing fruit for a few years? Have birds been feasting before we could ever behold the plums? Or have we just not been as careful to delight in what has been there all this time? Perhaps I should ask Darrell Blackwelder, the actual plant expert around here, these questions, and maybe even then, I would be embarrassed by the answer to the latter question. 

I wonder what other delights in my everyday environment have become so familiar that I miss savoring, observing, and enjoying them. What about those birds who likely feed on those not-quite-right-for-human-consumption plums? How beautiful that their Creator supplies a fruit safely camouflaged from other creatures, namely us – a special grace for the smallest winged creatures. How much more our Creator has special grace and provisions for us! Both sinner and saint alike can enjoy much, thanks to common grace, but much sweeter nectar awaits those who make the Creator their Lord. 

My son was in a divine moment and likely will not fully appreciate it for years. Still, I could see it captivating his spirit as he shared the news of his discovery and rushed to capture the moment not with an iPhone but slowly with a drawing while sitting beneath a tree. 

Lord, may I slow down and take time to soak in the divine lessons among the seemingly common. 

Ashlie Miller can get lost for hours watching her children play outside and delight in their discoveries. You may share your discoveries with her at mrs.ashliemiller@gmail.com.

Repairing Brokenness

by   June 8, 2024 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

Repairing Brokenness

            This past week a large tree limb fell on my storage building. At first, there appeared to be minor damage, but it ended up being something a bit more. I could see two branches sticking through the roof, but there were two additional holes that needed repair. As the limb fell it broke off a piece of the overhang and tore off the soffit on the side leading up to the peak.

            One thing we could not see until the workers got here was that the soffit along the front overhang of the shed had also been loosened where it connects to the header. The challenge was reconnecting this piece without taking off the roof. I was trying to keep the repairs costs down because I am going to need a new roof on both my house and the shed in a few years.

            A former colleague from East Davidson told me that a former student of ours had begun a roofing business. I reached out to her and sent her some pictures of the damage. She thought her company could fix my roof for a reasonable price. She offered me two estimates based on different criteria. Once she and her husband saw the damage first hand it became a little less clear how the repairs could be made without extensive work. The term extensive work means much more expensive.

            Her husband came down the next day and worked patiently, persistently, with precision to repair the damage. It took him much longer than we imagined. I knew the extra labor would mean some extra bucks but in the end they were very fair in what they charged me. There are a couple of things I need to do to finish up, but I am glad it is fixed and dry inside.

            While her husband was up on the roof working on repairs, I was enjoying the quiet afternoon working in my garden. It was so peaceful and the presence of the Lord was sweet as He assured me that everything would be all right. I was able to hill up the potatoes, thin and hill up the corn, plant a few things, and get some weeding done. I was glad that I got to do some things I wanted to get done while my roof was being repaired.

            It also gave me the opportunity to think about other areas of life where we might need to repair brokenness. Many people have broken relationships. Divorce creates brokenness between parents and children. Broken homes create many different kinds of broken relationships that take time and effort to repair. Relationships between employer and employee can fracture over many issues and require each party to apply effort to restore the brokenness.  

            I am grateful and thankful that I have a number of good friends. Some friends are colleagues or former colleagues. Some are friendships built over time because they are neighbors or friends from church. We make time for each other whether it’s texting, calling, or sharing a meal together. But even friends can be divided over time, distance, or changes in the way we think. The Bible teaches us that Satan seeks to divide and separate even friendships, but godly friends will work to find ways to maintain the unity that Jesus desires.

Brokenness can even enter our relationship with God. It is hard to imagine that people would give up on church and God but they do. God created people to have fellowship with Him. Our main purpose is to develop that relationship with God. Whether it is distraction, anger, hurtfulness, sin, or unanswered questions, God doesn’t want you to stay away. He sent His Son to help us reconnect and repair that brokenness. The way to reconnect with God is to turn away from your choices and ask God to forgive you. Jesus opens the door for grace, mercy, forgiveness, and peace. It’s free just for the asking.

            I want to encourage you to consider your relationship with God. If you have let it slide or you have neglected it for whatever reason, then now is the time to repair the broken relationship. Turn your heart back to God and let His love and forgiveness wash you clean. There is no sin so great that can separate you from God’s love. Maybe you don’t understand everything going on in the world today; that’s okay. That’s why you need faith and trust in God. His arms are open for you. His heart calls out your name. Turn to Him and let Him repair the brokenness. He wants to connect with you.

Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com

Cycles

by   June 7, 2024 with No Comments

By Roger Barbee

The camellia bloomed first; the azaleas came next and are now empty of their bright, white flowers; as are the dogwood trees; and the rich purple flowers of the rhododendron and irises at the gate are limp imposters of their former selves. But the hydrangeas form small bubble-like features that will soon burst into balls of blue-yellow and lime; both gardenias are poised to burst forth to slather the garden air with fragrance; and the lyda roses grace one garden wall with their pansy-like opened faces. As if all of this is not enough, while riding my stationary bike yesterday morning a whisper of scent from the large Ligustrum across the road floated by me.

Nature is composed of cycles and sometimes, as described above, cycles within cycles. That is one way to describe birth and its conclusion—death. So yesterday, on May 11 at 4:46 pm, Nolan the noble hound “went the way of all living things.”

Fourteen years ago when we were living in the Shenandoah Valley, my wife Mary Ann took some items to the local animal shelter. It was there that he found her and won her heart with his “Whoo, whoo” each time she passed his crate. The next weekend we visited him and the adoption of us was completed.

He was a stray that had wandered up to a local man’s kennel. Fortunately for us, the man had many dogs, so he brought him to the animal shelter. While he appeared to be an ordinary black and tan hound that had gotten lost or had been abandoned; a young hound that carried buckshot in his hindquarters delivered by a cruel person,  he proved over time to be much more than the sum of his first two years.

At that time, we were dividing our time between Washington and the Valley, but Nolan slipped effortlessly into our schedule. During that first car ride to our home in the Valley he did vomit from car sickness, and he did mark the smoker on the screen porch when he marched into his forever home. Oh, and later that weekend he pulled too hard and turned my wheelchair over, tossing me to the ground. But after that, he began life with us and our beagle Callie and our cat Katie Kitty. During the week while in town he enjoyed walks on the leash with us and Katie Kitty, and each morning if we were not vigilant he would take Callie’s stuffed dog  out of her crate and attempt to escape to the backyard. He never harmed Buddy the stuffed animal, but he gained pleasure from slipping him out of her crate, for whatever reason.

During the weekends in the Valley, Nolan was freer because we had an acre that was fenced in by an underground wire. While Callie respected the fence, he would sometimes be overcome with the hound urge to roam. He had chosen a back corner of the acre and would crawl on his belly to “slip” below the fence. His yelps alerted us to his escape. But he never wandered too far, just enough to satisfy his roaming instinct.

Nolan never met a person or animal that he did not like. After we moved to the Valley full time, we adopted another beagle and a stray mother cat with her kittens. He shared the house, yard, and family room sofa with them all, restful and at peace in his life. However, he would grab in his mouth any squirrel or groundhog that Callie chased his way. Oh, and he would chase thunder across his acre lot, howling and jumping as he repelled the invading noise.,

In his youth Nolan enjoyed slices of an apple or tomato as a treat. However, as he grew older, he came to dislike the tomato while retaining his love of  bits of an apple, but he  remained Mary Ann’s “My sweet boy” who would obediently eat his medications wrapped in a pill pocket or a slice of salty ham.

When the moving van was loaded and headed to our new home on Lake Norman, Mary Ann and I packed our vans for the five-hour ride to the lake. The cats rode in her van, and the three dogs rode with me. Callie slept on the passenger seat, Mickey in the back between plants, but Nolan sat erect between the front seats for the entire ride: My noble co-pilot on our new adventure.

Just as he did all those years before, Nolan accepted and adapted to his new life. He slept on the library sofa with cats and dogs; and he learned to drink his water from the bird bath so as not to stress his aging knees. He loved his mistress as always and shared life with her. But after almost four years on the lake, and sixteen years of life, he aged out and yesterday made his last car ride.

Nolan’s cycle has ended. But like the plants in our garden,  he lived and bloomed and graced Mary Ann and me and all around him. His early years of lonely roaming the Valley do not define him. His long life—lovingly  lived—does.

Now I Am Hoping to Run Again

by   June 6, 2024 with No Comments

By David Freeze

Now I’m hoping to run again!

   Last week, I wrote about how to handle a slump in your exercise performance, of course having no idea that I would experience a serious farm accident last Wednesday afternoon. The result of the accident, a fall from a farm tractor’s front-end loader, has reset my priorities and refocused my attention.

   Last Wednesday had been a near perfect day, beginning with a United Way volunteer appreciation breakfast at Landis Elementary School. Then, one of my favorite annual activities was completed with the 2024 version of the Special Olympics Torch Run from south Salisbury to Spencer that totaled about 5.9 miles. A nice late breakfast at Hendrix followed and then it was off to work on trimming limbs around a hay field on a cool afternoon. That 5.9 mile run will be my last for the foreseeable future.

     After finishing the hay field work, a freak accident caused me to be thrown backwards and down from 9-10 feet, ending with a broken lower back. I had my sixth 178 mile Reno Tahoe Odyssey team run scheduled next week and likely had settled on a bike ride around Lake Michigan for late July and much of August. The Dragonboat competition is set for July 27th. Those things won’t happen for me now, but with a lot of luck, prayer and God’s grace, I hope to do them again in the coming years.

    We’re trying to heal the back naturally, without any rods and pins which was the first recommendation. I have at least enough of a chance to do this that the surgeons agreed to try. So I am in a surprisingly comfortable back brace for months into the future. Sleeping has been good since leaving the hospital and my appetite has returned. But there won’t be any mental therapy from exercise any time soon which I will miss terribly.

   From what I understand, my lower back is broken, and two bones need to heal back together. I have three vertebrae with damage. My legs work but not very quickly and they get tired easily. My back doesn’t like to stand erect, but I push to improve the posture. That is about all the pushing I’ve done on anything as I have decided to proceed easily as my body allows and for once to follow doctors’ orders.

    This week I have been using a walker to get around, learning how to minimize trips across the house and especially not to forget anything as I pass by. I can’t pick up anything from the floor as those doctors’ orders include no bending, especially forward which could derail the attempt to heal naturally. The process to take a shower is exhausting and only my second attempt since the accident is just ahead of finishing this column. Carrying a plate of food or even a spoon is a challenge. I dropped two spoons this week and left them exactly where they fell until the next visitor came by.

     I’ve always said that the best thing about my cross-country bike rides is the people. No doubt, the best thing about this accident is the people too. The outpouring of love, support and prayers has been tremendous and has caused me more than a few tears of acknowledgment. The heartfelt visits, messages and calls have bolstered my belief that some day there will be running and cycling again. But even bigger is bolstering my belief that good people are still around us, no matter what the news networks say. Thank you all so much!

     I often end my bike riding reports with some version of “Lord, Ride with Me Today.” I am embarking on my biggest challenge yet, so come along as the adventure begins. I’ll do updates as they become worthy in this column.  

    Our next race locally is the Main Street China Grove Challenge 5K on Friday evening, June 7th. Check for this and other events at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org 

Gotta’ Run: Now I’m hoping to run again!

Praising Him

by   June 5, 2024 with No Comments

Psalms 13:6  I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me.

  • No question – God is good at all times regardless of how it seems.
  • Not only do we praise Him, we should sing even if we are unable to – He loves and enjoys a joyful noise.  
  • It should be a daily thing for us to sing to Him, because He is deserving of all our praise.

Prayer:  Lord I sing to You with all my heart because You have done so much for me and You are such a wonderful savior.  I can not live without You and I praise You gladly regardless of how things are or seem to me.  You have not changed.  Amen. 
 

Ed Traut
Prophetic Life

The Voice

by   June 4, 2024 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

 The Voice – Season 25

Once I get past Gunsmoke, Everybody Loves Raymond, the news, and my soap opera, The Voice is pretty much the only other TV show I watch. But watching The Voice when I personally knew someone competing on the show took it to a whole different level.

This season was much more exciting as I followed the journey of my friends, Josh and Kendra Sanders. Watching him move forward in the competition each week heading straight toward the plans God has for his family was remarkable. I am sure they will continue to run with those plans at approximately 100 miles per hour as they continue to do amazing things for Jesus.

Kendra brings out the best in Josh – and Josh brings out the best in Kendra. Together, they form a beautiful team – and a busy team. While pastoring their church and parenting their children, they somehow managed to add on The Voice, as they continued to answer God’s call for their lives.

It is not often that we are able to see friends on national television sharing their faith and testimony with the viewers – especially on a stage as big as The Voice. But they did. And they shared it beautifully and persistently through their actions and their words.

While attending their wedding years ago, it was evident even then that something special was up! It felt like a God moment that day, solidifying that their love would be a light and a love that would endure forever. Yes, they have faced hardships – but God has been their solid rock to lean on no matter the difficulties they have faced. They have supported each other. They have continued to worship Jesus. They have continued to lean on God’s Word.

 Little did I know, however, that the two of them would become advocates for Jesus weekly on national television during Season 25 of The Voice, as Josh sang to millions of viewers about the power of God and ended up in the TOP 2 of the competition!

As amazing and exciting as this has been, who they are is a couple that is in ministry together, raising their children together, serving Jesus together, and sharing their testimonies of God’s love, mercy, and grace, while spreading it to the world. No doubt but what the world will continue to hear from them!

 Kendra’s Facebook post after the conclusion of The Voice finale said it perfectly, “Proud – that word does not even begin to express how I feel about what Josh has done! It worked out exactly how God planned it according to His will! What a journey! I can’t wait to see what God has planned next!”

I cannot wait to see what God has planned next for them either!

Excuse my incorrect grammar, but it ain’t over yet!

 I looked back at a message Kendra sent me in May 2020.

 Her words were:

 I just want God to use me.

He has, Kendra. He is. He will continue to.

Will you join me in dwelling on Kendra’s words for a moment for your own life?

I just want God to use me.

I just want God to use me.

That speaks directly to my heart. I hope it does to yours!

Ephesians 3:20

Now unto Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.

Let’s Stop Here!

by   June 3, 2024 with No Comments

Do you remember traveling as a kid? Do you remember looking out the window and asking your parents to stop at some fun place along the way? Well, you will relate to Steve Hartman’s story today… ENJOY!!!

Message in a Seashell

by   June 2, 2024 with No Comments

By Ashlie Miller

The frequent reader may recall my beach entries from last summer and know I relish combing the beach for all sorts of treasures. I have stories for many of them. My brother and I often send each other photos of the most significant or rarest shark tooth one of us has found. He has an excellent display of them in his home. Jars of shells, sea glass, and shark teeth adorn my bathroom counters, porch tables, and various shelves. My children have also picked up the hobby. At the end of a day on the beach, they spread out their findings and share how they discovered them. 

Earlier this year, our super middle son (the one smack in the middle of our five) revealed a seashell he had found. At first glance, I was confused about why my teen thought a broken shell with no remarkable features was worth saving. There was nothing noteworthy in the coloring or size. The shell itself was mostly broken, the sort you usually toss back upon realizing it is incomplete. Sensing my perplexity, he flipped over to the underside of the shell. Written all across the shell was a Bible verse. Though part of the verse was missing – a casualty of the sea – years of memorizing scripture brought the entire verse to mind: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law. – Galatians 5:22-23.”

Unfortunately, the shell broke further in transport on our trip home. A little glue and thoughtfulness enabled my son to put the pieces back together. I think about that shell – the brokenness of it, yet the words allowing us to put it back together. The words “joy, kindness, gentleness, self-control” look up at us as a testimony to its journey.

Our lives can be that way, too. Some of the most beautiful people I know are more than merely resilient under challenging seasons. When storms arise, and the breakers almost shatter them, joy, kindness, peace, and more are present. Is this a natural response because of their personality? Does it just come with age, maturity, and weathering many storms? A closer look on the flip side reveals a relationship with God and an indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

The fruit of the Spirit is quite different from our natural inclinations. In Galatians 5 (verses 19-21), we see works (or evidence) of the flesh. Left to our own devices, that is what naturally displays in forms of self-obsession or self-preservation. These are the common reactions we see among most people under the stress of life. 

When I am under stress, and those breakers crash me into the rock, do I see it as a time to fall apart and lean into myself and my flesh, or does the strength of the Holy Spirit lift me from drowning in the depths of despair, rising above the waves with a message of hope? As others walk by and catch a glimpse of our real lives, recognizing there is more to it than they see on the surface, can they see a supernatural response emanating?

I am thankful for the many examples I have witnessed -the ones who never catch a break, for whom trials come in threes (or more!), yet display remarkable character and fruit.

Ashlie Miller, her husband, and their five children, look forward to days at the coast this summer to hunt for more treasures. You may contact her at mrs.ashliemiller@gmail.com.

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