Patricia Cameron

Eyes Wide Open

by Patricia Cameron | Jan 28, 2023 | God, Grace, Mercy

In the middle of Job’s heartache and despair, he speaks something profound.

What is man, that you make so much of him, and that you set your heart on him. Job 7:17 (ESV)

Let that sink in. God loves us. So much that in His mercy, we don’t get what we deserve — an eternity separated from Him in a place of constant torment. Yet, in His grace, we get so much that we don’t deserve.

We can have a relationship with Almighty God through His Son Jesus Christ and spend eternity with Him in paradise.
We can have meaningful relationships with people here on earth.
We can enjoy the beauty around us.
We can enjoy food that not only sustains us but tastes good.
And we can listen to music that brings joy to our souls.

God sets His heart on us.

There are many places in the Bible that tell us to set our hearts on God. But in this verse in Job, we find that God also sets his heart on us. We can rest in that fact. We can find love, experience care and receive blessings.

I recently listened to a song by Jeremy Camp – Keep Me in the Moment. This song encourages us to live with our eyes open so we don’t miss what God has for us. It goes on to say that nothing is wasted when everything is placed in His hands.

I had to think on that. I waste time when I don’t place things in his hand — specifically the time worrying about something that may or may not happen.

The cool part is that when I was writing this post, the scripture at the bottom of that day’s page in my journal spoke directly to this same thing.

Give your burdens to the LORD, and He will take care of you. Psalm 55:22 (NCV)

I have worried about a decision I needed to make — unable to get it off my mind. But when I placed the burden of that decision in God’s hands, I could focus and spend my time on what God DOES have for me. And I could be confident that He is not withholding blessings from me.

He blesses us when we hand our worries and fears to Him.

And not only that, but our sweet surrender of every moment to God brings peace and joy. While Jesus said He would go to prepare a place for us so that we could be with Him one day, He also said that we could have joy in THIS life.

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. John 15:11 (NIV)

God is sovereign. He is in control. Yet He sets his heart on you and me. Let’s live with our eyes wide open and look for joy in the moment.

Stand Tall

by Patricia Cameron | Jan 20, 2023 | God, Redeemed, Victory

Last weekend we celebrated a late Christmas with the Cameron family. It was the first time we could all get together. I had every intention of taking down the Christmas decorations before then, but the closer it got to our getting together, I just decided to leave it all up.

Now . . . the tree had been dead long before Christmas, so it was really dead at this point. As soon as everyone left, we hauled the boxes from the attic and took down the tree and decorations. Then, my 17-year-old son headed to the tree recycling pile in the city.

Once back home, he told me how that dried-up tree took flight and soared out the back of the truck, landing in the middle of the road and stopping traffic several cars deep. In case he had missed the spectacle, someone stood in the road waving his hands to let him know.

He said the worst part was he knew about four people who yelled out their windows, teasing him. He picked up the tree and re-loaded it into the truck.

I’m sure it was quite a sight . . . and was probably on social the next day.

We laughed until we were in tears.

Stand tall through the winds of change

Sometimes our lives can be like that dried-up Christmas tree. When that tree, once carrying the pleasant scent of pine and Christmas, gets cut off from its source of life, it becomes dry and empty.

Like that tree, we can become dried up and no longer of any use, at risk of being tossed by the challenges of the day.

But with Jesus, our lives can be full and bear much fruit, able to stand tall through the winds of change.

Let’s stand tall, my friend, and stay connected to our source of life — Jesus Christ — and point others to Him and the salvation He offers.

Now this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. John 17:3

Presented with Great Joy

by Patricia Cameron | Jan 13, 2023 | Humility, Joy, Redeemed

I have good news!

As I was reading Jude, a few words from verse 24 struck me and I can’t get them out of my head.

Many of you know that my book Grief Unwrapped: Discovering Joy in a Season of Sorrow talks about having joy even in our sorrow or difficult circumstances. And Jesus is the source of that joy.

I admit I don’t typically think about Jesus having joy over me. Yes, I think He is pleased when we follow His will and His work for as long as we’re here on earth. But Jude takes it a step further. Read this.

To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy — to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. Jude 24-25 (NIV)

Did you get that? For those who know Jesus — those who claim Him as their Savior — He will present us to his glorious presence, the Almighty God. He will present us without fault and with great joy.

Blameless before the Father

I have been taught all my life that Jesus is our advocate, that He redeems us and that because of our relationship with Him, we will be blameless before the Father. But to present us with great joy?

The ballroom dancing world offers a similar picture. For the guy, it is a presentation. It’s not about him. His sole purpose is to present his partner on the dance floor. Every turn. Every step. Every dip and twirl is to show her to others.

That’s what Jesus will do for us one day. With pride, He will present us to the Father.

This means that not only can we live a life of joy through a relationship with Jesus Christ, but He will also have joy because of us.

I am unworthy of God’s grace, yet I am presented with joy. Wow.

Friend, that just made my day. I hope it makes yours too.

“Blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.” Jeremiah 17:7 (NLT)

Additional verses for reference and reflection

Colossians 1:22, John 10:28-30, Philippians 1:6

A Bold Move

by Patricia Cameron | Jan 7, 2023 | Courage, Determination, Faith, Victory

J. R. R. Tolkien once said, “courage is found in unlikely places.”

That’s what we find in the story of Esther. Hers was not a “commander of an army” type courage. Nor one accompanied by physical strength and stamina.

Her courage was a quiet, “I’ll risk my life for my people” type of courage.

Esther had been queen for about three years before she had the test of a lifetime. Haman, second in command of Susa, had devised an evil plan to destroy all Jews throughout the kingdom and convinced King Xerxes to sign it into law.

Esther’s cousin, Mordecai, challenged her to step in and use her position to change this course of action. A task not easily done.

There was no knocking on his door to ask a question. She had to be invited. And thirty days had passed since Esther had been summoned by the king. Approaching him without an invitation was against the law. However, she risked her life for her people. Her response to Mordecai must have been a chilling one.

When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish. Esther 4:16.

How do we prepare for courage?

I believe several things contributed to her courage, and ultimate victory, to make such a bold move.

Even before this time, God had prepared Esther for that critical moment.

She was adopted by Mordecai who treated her like his own daughter. He taught her that God was always in control.
She was one of the virgins chosen as a potential queen, winning the favor of Hegai, the king’s eunuch and overseer of the king’s harem. He even moved Esther and her maids to the best place in the harem.
Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her.
She won the king’s favor and approval more than any of the other virgins.
She had an accountability partner. Mordecai challenged her to do the right thing.
Esther reported an assassination plot to take out the king.
Before she acted, she called on people to fast and pray, putting her faith in God first.

After being seized from her cousin to become the possession of a cruel king, Esther could have become bitter. Instead, she demonstrated courage, patience and wisdom. She did this not only in her gracious appeal to the king, but through offering a solution that gave the Jews the chance to survive.

And that is the way with us, too. Sometimes our trials springboard us to a place of courage and boldness. God also prepares us for our “moment” through a consistent, everyday walk with Him. Obedience in the “little things” could be just what gets us through that next obstacle.

What do we do with the sting of pain?

Life is hard. Difficult times happen. Pain will come. When it does, do we turn TO God or FROM Him?

You may be thinking, “I do not have the courage of Esther.” But consider this. Esther took one step at a time, allowing her trials to shape her into a courageous young woman.

She didn’t settle for less than God’s plan for her. She strove for the best, whether she suffered for it or not.

And we can too. We CAN find the courage when courage seems in short supply. We CAN pray boldly and act boldly. We CAN live in victory.

Do you have a decision to make? A plan to implement. How has God prepared you to be bold? Draw upon those experiences that have made you into who you are today and take courage in your moment of decision.

“But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.” 2 Chronicles 15:7

What are you boldly believing God for in 2023?

by Patricia Cameron | Dec 30, 2022 | Belief, Faith, Trust

He looked at them with compassion and touched their eyes. (Matthew 20:34)

I have read the story of Jesus healing the blind beggar several times over the last few months. Today, though, it encouraged me in a different way. As I think about the approach of a new year, I want to be like these two who spoke their request with boldness and faith, then put their faith into action. The Bible says they immediately received their sight and followed him.

As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him.Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.

“Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.”

Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him. (Matthew 20:29-34)

Healing faith

They played a part in their healing, too. Mark and Luke’s version of this story says that it was his faith that healed him.

That faith reminds me of another set of verses that tell us to believe and move mountains. (Mark 11: 22-26).

Also, Luke 11:8-10 tells us much of the same. It describes a man who knocks on his friend’s door asking for bread. His friend refused to get up because he was already in bed, however, Jesus said “because of the man’s boldness, he will get up and give him as much as he needs.”

What is your mountain?

That, my friend, is a lesson for us as we enter 2023. What is your mountain? What are you boldly believing and asking God for in 2023? What are you putting your faith in God to do for you this year? Whatever is ahead, let’s

Be bold. Make the ask.
Believe and have faith.
Praise Him big.
Follow Him. Serve Him big.

We play a role in our results as well. In each verse, they believed. They had faith. They knocked.

If I ask God to fulfill my dream, I must put in my work, too. If I ask God to heal me from a physical condition, I may have to change some patterns or habits to get there.

So, my desire for myself and my encouragement for you this new year is to be bold. Boldly believe God and ask him to move that mountain. Boldly dream the dream. Work hard to achieve it. Praise God for it. Serve Him through it.

I pray the Lord will bless you and keep you, make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May He turn his face toward you and give you peace in 2023.

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9