Ann Farabee

By Ann Farabee

He was restless

– A man had two sons, and the younger one said to his father, “Give me what belongs to me.”

The father gave him his share of the inheritance.

He was rebellious

— He left home and wasted it with riotous living. He was reckless 

— He spent it all. He met reality

— There was a famine in the land. He began to be in want. He reached bottom

— He became a citizen of that country and had to feed swine. He had a revelation

— He came to himself. He remembered 

— How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough to spare and I am starving? He recognized his sin

— I will say, Father, I have sinned against heaven and you. He was remorseful

— I am not worthy to be your son. He responded

— He got up and went to his father. He was received

— When he was a great way off, his father saw him coming and had compassion and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. He repented

— Father, I have sinned and I’m not worthy to be called your son. He was reinstated

— The father told the servants to bring out the best robe and put it on him. He was reconciled 

— To put a ring on his hand. He was re-established

— To put shoes on his feet. He was redeemed

— To bring the fatted calf. Let us eat and be merry, for my son was dead and is alive again. He was lost, but is now found. Are we away from home? We can come to ourselves.

Charles Spurgeon explains that when the father saw him, he saw who he was, where he had been and what he would be soon. The father is looking for us.

When we come home, he will kiss us “much.” As referenced in translations from the 1800s, Spurgeon explained “kissing us much” as meaning:

• much love

• much forgiveness

• much restoration • much joy

• much comfort

• much assurance

• much communion In his sermon, ‘Many Kisses for Returning Sinners,’ the emotion from that moment can be clearly visualized:

Perhaps the young man looked down on his foul garments, and said, “Oh the past, my father, the past!”

The father would kiss him again, as if to say, “Never mind the past.”

“But the present, my father, the present, what a dreadful state I am in!” and with another kiss would come the answer, “Never mind the present, my boy. I am content to have you as you are. I love you.”

“Oh, but father, the future, the future. What if it happens again?”

Then, would come another kiss, and the father would say, “I will see to the future, my son.” There is some good stuff, I mean God stuff, in Luke 15. Is it time to go home?

Tap your heels together three times and repeat after me: There’s no place like home.

There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home.

(Just kidding. I was wanting to see if you were paying attention. It’s actually easier than that.)

Let’s try again — time to go home? 

Come to yourself. Get up. Go to the Father. While you are a long way off, He will see you because He’s been looking for you and He will have compassion on you, and He will run, fall on your neck, and kiss you much.

And that is exactly what He did for me and has done, or will do, for you.

Ann Farabee is a teacher, writer and speaker. Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com.

By Ann Farabee

It was time to write my weekly column.

You know what? I didn’t feel like it.

My mind was telling me to skip this week, but my spirit told me to sit down and get to work.

As I headed toward my computer, I passed some reminders framed on my wall: “Faith,” “family” and “friends.” And then ones for love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness and self control.

Yes, it’s me — Ann Farabee.

I write a weekly faith column. I have spiritual words on my wall. I walk by those words numerous times a day, but I rarely notice them.

As I sat down to begin to write, I did what I would usually do first — I checked my phone. I sure am glad I did because:

• If I applied for the Chase Sapphire card, I could get 60,000 extra bonus points.

• If I clicked on the “5 Tips for Health” it might change my life — or maybe not.

• If I clicked on “What African Countries Speak Spanish?”

I might learn something! Maybe I had not really needed to check my phone. I walk by those words on the wall every day going back and forth to the kitchen.

Most times, I don’t even notice them. I sat down at my work table, and moved my Bible over so I could get to the stack of work that needed my immediate attention.

It’s me — Ann Farabee. I write a weekly column. I have spiritual words on my wall.

I had moved my Bible out of my way so I could do my other stuff. I probably should have hit myself in the head with my fairly large Bible.

Yes, I had moved it out of my way so I could do my other stuff. Don’t get me wrong — we all have to do other stuff. Yes, stuff has to get done.

But on this day, the thought, “Moving my Bible out of my way so I can do other stuff,” left me shaking my head. Perhaps because I realized I had then immediately picked up my phone again. I apparently was planning to skip Bible reading.

But I kept looking over at it and when I came to myself, I picked it back up and opened it to a random, or maybe not so random, page. I read these words: “Thou shall call his name Jesus, for He shall save his people from their sins.”

Those words were followed by: “God with us.” Jesus saved us from our sins — God is with us.

What more do we need? When we open the Book, no matter what page we land on, God has a word for us!

Ann Farabee is a teacher, writer and speaker. Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com.

By Ann Farabee

Fasting is not a topic I have ever chosen to write or talk about.

If I were to score myself on fasting, I would give myself a score of zero. I did fast technology — including cell phones — for a few days, and one time I actually fasted food one day a week for several weeks.

When the suggestion would come up, I have normally tended to go with an excuse for not participating.

Verses about fasting have been read in church services I have been in, but rarely as the main part of that passage for the message on that particular day, so I could easily ignore it.

I guess I could call myself a fasting failure, a fasting flunk-out or a fasting fizzle-outer.

Sure — I have my excuses, I mean, my reasons.

Let’s see:

I will get sick if I fast.

I will be cranky if I fast.

I have to prepare food for my family anyway, so it would be hard to fast. I like food. It’s a highlight of my day. My days are built around when it’s time to eat again, and those who know me well can concur.

Food comforts me and makes me happy.

But, a few years ago when I was going through one of the darkest, deepest and most stressful periods in my life, there were days I had no ability to pray. It was then that the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and sent me a three-word reminder that I could not ignore: fast and pray. It was not just once, but over and over in my head until I understood. I needed to fast and pray.

Matthew 17:21 says, “Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” This kind of what? What was it talking about? The previous verse tells us that if we have the faith as a grain of mustard seed, we can move mountains and that nothing will be impossible unto us. I needed this kind of faith.

So I did it. My situation that I needed God to guide me through was personal, and my fasting and prayer was personal, too. Every time I felt my stomach begin to growl, I made sure to pray specifically for my need. When I would feel the rumblings of hunger, I would pray and read God’s Word. I would lay on my bed, cover myself with a blanket and ask the Lord to hold me as I prayed. It was intimate. It was personal. It was “God and me” time.

The hunger was enough of a distraction to get my mind off my regular routine and focus on my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Have you ever been somewhere so beautiful and experienced something so amazing that you told others, “I wish I had the words, but I don’t?”

Not only is that how it felt, but that is still how it feels when entering into a time of intimacy with Jesus.

Fast and pray — it is worth it.

Ann Farabee is a teacher, writer and speaker. Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com.

He had become well-known and a man of fame in that city and abroad. He had gained a magnificent reputation, and He was known as one of exceptional character. He was the Healer.

Multitudes had come to hear him speak and to be healed of their infirmities. Luke 5:15-16 says, “But Jesus walked away from the crowd and went into the wilderness — to pray. Yes, Jesus left the crowd and went to an isolated place to talk with the Father on their behalf.”

That is remarkable.

Jesus loved everyone, so I am sure He loved those in the crowd. But at that moment in time, He needed a “praying in the wilderness” experience.

Sometimes, we need that, as well. Not always just on our behalf, but also on behalf of others. A prayer for someone is one of the greatest gifts we can give or receive.

As for me, I need to give that gift more often. Sometimes, it may feel that our prayers are not a big deal — but they are. Our prayers reach God!

Our prayers transcend the world and go straight to our Heavenly Father.

When God freed His people from slavery in Egypt, instead of going straight to the Promised Land, they went on a journey through the wilderness. But while wandering around in that wilderness, God revealed Himself to them.

Being in the wilderness sounds horrible, but if it brings us to a place of solitude with our Savior, we have the victory. That sure beats sitting around complaining about our difficulties, right? Going into His presence is His present to us — as we are surrounded by love, rest, and peace that comes with being in the presence of our Savior.

If God leads us there, why would we not go into the wilderness — apart from the crowd — to pray?

It would be like failing to accept the gift of His presence. God’s Word tells of many times Jesus prayed. Here are some of my personal favorites:

• “Early in the morning while it was dark.” — Mark 1:35

• “On the mountain during the night while making a decision.” — Luke 6:12-16

• “At a special occasion.” — Luke 3:21

• “With others — Peter, James and John went with Jesus to the mountain to pray.” — Luke 9:28

• “When in need — in the garden, Jesus asked that the cup be removed from him.” — Luke 22:42

• “When in pain — On the cross, He cried out in agony.” — Matthew 27:46

• “For those who had hurt him, Father forgive them.” — Luke 23:34

• “In surrender to God’s will — Father, into your hands, I commend my spirit.” — Luke 23:46 Jesus prayed, and so should we. 1 Chronicles 16:11 says, “Look to the Lord and His strength.”

Seek His face always.

Always means always!

Ann Farabee is a teacher, writer and speaker. Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com.

By Ann Farabee

I love the sound of that — Part 1.

But I love the sound of this even more — believe for it.

This column begins with an honest Q&A session I had with myself: How often do I pray?

My answer — not often enough.

How long do I pray?

My answer — not long enough.

Why is that?

That is what I am going to attempt to figure out over my next few columns — so join with me. I think we will all be blessed — and hopefully renew and strengthen our prayer lives.

Our lives are busy. I know very few people who get to stay home all day while having the luxury of doing whatever they want to do whenever they want to do it. So, how do we handle our prayer lives in the midst of our busy seasons and daily routines?

As you read my column over the next several weeks, I will be looking into what Jesus said about prayer. I will be sharing about times I “failed” to pray. I will share about times I “fell” to pray — on my knees.

Seeing, hearing, feeling and touching Jesus as He works is perhaps the most amazing thing in the world, except for knowing that Jesus died on the cross, was buried and rose again after three days, so that we could have victory over death and live with God forever in Heaven!

So, if you are looking for great knowledge about prayer, it probably won’t come from my writing, but if you are looking for one who has experienced the power of prayer and the results of prayer, stay tuned, as I will attempt to share some personal insight into the importance of staying committed to a strong prayer life.

How would I know this? It is because I have been on both sides — committed to a strong prayer life — and also committed to a life of barely praying at all.

If we just pray at church, at a meal or at a time that someone expects for us to pray, we are missing out on the power of prayer that God has unleashed in our lives!

I have certainly been in a place and a time where praying was not what I wanted to prioritize. But making prayer my priority is where my heart desires to be and where I know I should be. So join me on this journey as we delve into making our prayer lives greater and stronger than ever! It sounds like something worth pursuing!

Our prayer lives may feel personal and private, but the results are often public. Prayer gives us a way to talk personally with Jesus. That is unfathomable, to say the least. To think that God provided a way for us — you and me — to connect with the creator of the heaven and the earth. To connect with the one who said let there be light and there was light. To connect with the God who made the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night — and the one who made the stars also.

Feel free to share some thoughts on your prayer journey with me at annfarabee@gmail.com, so that I can have more ideas to share with my readers.

As I was completing the writing of this column, I received an email prayer request. Here is part of what it said, “Will you believe for me until I can believe for myself?”

I sure will. I sure will.

I knew immediately that God was putting His stamp of approval on this prayer journey! Believe for it part 2 will be next week!

Ann Farabee is a teacher, writer and speaker. Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com.

By Ann Farabee

My family had spent the day at Black Mountain Campground with approximately 100 friends from our church. As the daylight began to end, we began to gather around the campfire, set up our folding lawn chairs, and joined the group to end our day with testimonies, singing, conversation and laughter. The darker it got, the more prominent the light from the fire became. As the darkness began to overcome, the light from that fire became even brighter. If anyone walked away from the circle we were sitting in surrounding the fire, soon they were in darkness. Our focus became the light from the fire — and we stayed there for hours.

Later, some children began falling asleep in the arms of mom or dad. The crowd began to dwindle and families began to slip away to their tents.

It had been a special evening, watching daylight be overcome by the darkness. Flashlights had been turned on and lanterns had been lit. (Yes, this was before we all had cellphones with lights.) Many of us chose to stay around the fire late into the night, soaking in the goodness of God with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

The hour grew even later, the fire dwindled, and we sleepily headed into the darkness toward our tents. I settled in on my air mattress that was on the floor of our tent, and began the process of trying to sleep. I knew I would not be able to, and I was right. Lots of snores were coming from lots of tents. But…the snores were not what bothered me the most.

The main reason I could not get to sleep was because it was too dark! I held my hand in front of my face. I could not see it. Even with my eyes closed, I knew. If I opened them, it would be too dark to see anything. There was no way I could sleep in total darkness. My solution was to take possession of the flashlight from my snoring husband, so that I could flip it on and off anytime the darkness began to overwhelm me. At times, I turned the flashlight on briefly, just to make sure I was still there. I had zero sleep and was thankful to finally see the morning light return.

Light and dark — it is definitely in the Bible.

Darkness has always been a part of our world, but so has light! In the darkness, Mary gave birth to Jesus in a stable so that we could see the light! The wise men were in the darkness, when they saw the light from the star. The shepherds were working in darkness when the angel of the Lord shone on them.

First Peter 2:9 tells us that Jesus has called us out of the darkness into his marvelous light and John 8:12 tells us that Jesus is the light of the world.

That’s about all we need to know, isn’t it? No one wants to live in darkness, although sometimes we allow ourselves to do just that. I will repeat:

Jesus has called us out of darkness, and He has called us into His light.

That light is the light.

Do you need to come from the dark into the light?

Reach up.

The light switch is right above you and the power is always on! Ann Farabee is a teacher, writer and speaker.

Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com.

By Ann Farabee

Even though God is love, our refuge and our strength, there are times we still struggle.

There were often rainy days when my sixth grade students could not go outside for recess, so they would play games in the classroom. It was normally a low-key event, with students in small groups playing board games or talking with friends. But on one of those days, two students ended up rolling around on the floor, struggling with all their might to be the winner of what had become a fight.

I walked toward them as I said these two very magical and effective words: STOP IT! Even though they were fully engaged in this fight, when they heard the voice of authority — which was me — they stopped.

“What’s going on?” I inquired.

“Why are you fighting?”

After some shoulder shrugs and mumbling, the look in their eyes spoke volumes, as they tried to regain their composure and stop the tears from falling. They both looked at the floor and whispered, “I don’t know.”

It was over. A few minutes later, they sat together at lunch. They did not know what had caused the beginning of their struggle, but they knew it had been of their own creation. They also knew that together they could fix it. There had been no real thought of why — or what — they were fighting for or about. But for some reason, they had thought the struggle would be worth it.

A struggle can mean that one makes forceful efforts to get free of restraint or constriction. It can refer to having problems handling or coping with something. Struggling can also mean that one is making his or her way — but with difficulty. How do we get through our struggles?

We need to remember that we can make our way — but there will be times of difficulty. John 16:33 says, “In the world, we will have trouble, but we can be of good cheer. Jesus has overcome the world!”

• We need to remember that Christ lives in us. We need to dwell on that! First John 4:4 says that we are of God, little children, and we have overcome: because greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world!

Even though we may feel we are struggling,

God is with us all the way! We win in the end!

There will be victory through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Ann Farabee is a teacher, writer and speaker.

Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com.

By Ann Farabee

Mary, why did you have to ride on a donkey to go pay your taxes while pregnant?

That would not be on any mom’s wishlist.

Mary, why did the time for you to give birth have to be while you were out of town?

Home would have been much more comfortable.

Mary, why did you have to endure that smelly animal-filled stable while giving birth?

A room at the inn would have been much better.

Mary, why was your situation not perfect?

You were giving birth to Jesus — the Son of God — The Savior of the world! God was completely in control. God had the power to give you a perfectly easy birth experience in a nice warm spot surrounded by flowers, instead of a barn filled with animals.

Mary, you witnessed and experienced the greatest birth story in the history of the world. The angels came. The shepherds came. It was then that you kept — and pondered — those things in your heart. (Luke 2:19) How often did you ponder those things?

My guess is that it was a lifetime of pondering.

To ponder means to weigh on the mind, to think about or to reflect on.

We all ponder at times, don’t we? We have things that weigh on our minds, thoughts we dwell on, and times of reflection in our lives, which always remind us of the goodness of God.

Mary, your story — which is also HIS-tory — never ceases to amaze!

What an incredible role God had for you to fulfill!

The fullness of time arrived. God sent His Son to redeem us.

Because He came:

• We became children of God.

• God sent His Spirit into our hearts.

• We became heirs of God through Christ.

That inheritance is described in 1 Peter 1:4 as:

• Incorruptible — which means everlasting and not subject to death or decay.

• Undefiled — which means pure.

• Will not fade away — which means it will not disappear.

May we choose not to entrap ourselves in the busy-ness of the holiday season, but instead may we choose to be like Mary — and ponder the birth of Jesus in our hearts.

There has never been — and will never be — a greater gift than the gift of Jesus.

Ponder it.

Ann Farabee is a teacher, writer and speaker. Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com.

By Ann Farabee

The wise men brought gifts to baby Jesus. They were gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

If the wise men went shopping, so should we.

Thanksgiving Day — 3 p.m. Stores were opening. The shopping season had begun. I refused to believe that Black Friday had the best deals.

Not me. I opted for shopping from home on Thanksgiving Thursday. A cup of coffee, a slice of pecan pie and my computer. I smiled as I saw that everything was 40% off! I knew it! Shopping with the crowd on Black Friday had no real advantage!

I shopped. I did it! I got $600 worth of stuff for only $360. I proudly shut down my computer — and rewarded myself with a turkey sandwich. I was a super shopper!

Friday morning arrived. An email informed me that everything was now 50% off. Mental math informed me that my $600 purchase could have been $300 — not the $360 I had spent. It was heartbreaking.

Too much time had been spent looking for what I thought was the best deal — and it ended up not being the best deal.

However, there is one great deal none of us can afford to pass up! Here is the info:

DEAL OF THE DAY! IT’S FREE! You do not even have to make the purchase! Jesus died on the cross for our sins to purchase our salvation!

Don’t know how to locate the deal? Here is the special access code: John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

As for Black Friday?  And the greatest Door Buster?

No sale — or gift of any price — could begin to compare with the gift the world was given on the darkest Black Friday — as Jesus gave His life for our sins.

And three days later, He became the real Door Buster, as He burst forth from the tomb, giving the world the greatest gift ever given  — victory over death!

It was — and is — the deal of a lifetime!

Lord, help us to never become complacent about the gift of a lifetime that You freely gave to all who will accept it. Amen.

Ann Farabee is a teacher, writer and speaker. Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com.

By Ann Farabee

It seemed that he talked about it non-stop. The same stories over and over. I remember very little about it — mostly about him being in Normandy, France, and some stories about being a cook in the Army.

After the war ended, my father later became a member of the VFW — Veterans of Foreign Wars. He served a term as commander there, and always participated in everything that was offered.

He arranged for Taps to be played at funerals of soldiers, and he would often hold the flag during military services.

One day, our family went on a long car ride to Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C. My father’s nephew, who was in his early 20s, had been transferred there from Vietnam. He had been shot.

After being discharged from the hospital, he came to live with our family of five in our small mill house. Cannon Mills sent out a crew to build a wheelchair ramp for him, because he was now paralyzed.

I do not remember my cousin talking about what happened in Vietnam — but I do remember him wheeling that wheelchair around the house, trying to go about his life, and holding out hope that he would be able to walk again. He never did.

Both died at what now seems to be a young age — my father at age 60, my cousin at age 46.

What you have read so far is all I really remember about the military lives of my father and my cousin, who defended our country in two different wars — World War II and the Vietnam War.

Yes, it is all I remember!

My father talked about it and I did not listen. My cousin did not talk about it and I did not ask.  And that I greatly regret.

How I wish I could hear their stories now. How I wish I could ask a few questions. How I wish I could know more about what it was really like for them.

But, no. I was too busy growing up and thinking about other things, like “young girl” or “teenage” things. Things that I was able to enjoy because I was living in a free country. A country whose freedom has been defended daily by those who have served — and are serving — in our armed forces.

Veterans Day is a day dedicated to veterans of all wars. It occurs on Nov. 11. In 1918, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, an armistice was declared between the Allied Nations and Germany in World War I. In 1938, it became known as Veterans Day.

Know a veteran? Love a veteran? Listen to their stories. Ask lots of questions. Don’t let the stories die.

To all the veterans — we thank you. We know that our freedom is not free, and it has been paid for by your sacrifices.

Ann Farabee is a teacher, writer and speaker. Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com.