The Day God’s Presence Came Down

The Day God’s Presence Came Down

by | May 8, 2025 | Encouragement, Faith, Hope

Christmas Joy

Garrett loved his three-week staff role at a summer camp in the Blue Ridge Mountains until “camp crud” hit two weeks in. For four days, he lay in his bunk, sick, frustrated and isolated from the fun and community he’d been enjoying.

Alone but not abandoned

“The only one I had to talk to was God.” Garrett began to question God, wrestling with why he was sidelined when he had come to serve. He was stuck looking at four walls.

Always one to joke and tease, and one who loved being around people, that bed felt like a prison cell, and he was in no condition to break out. The “crud” had hit him hard.

But in the quiet, God’s presence met him. He felt encouraged to be patient, trusting God would bring something good from the experience.

The promise of the Holy Spirit

The prophet Joel gave us a glimpse of one of God’s most precious gifts: the pouring out of the Holy Spirit in us, His people. (See Joel 1-3.)

This Spirit gives us the ability to know the Lord, the power to believe, and the faith to follow Him.

About 800 years later, Peter connected the dots and boldly referenced Joel’s prophecy on the Day of Pentecost.

“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them” (Acts 2:1-4 NIV).

As the disciples gathered a week after Jesus ascended to Heaven, the Holy Spirit came like a rushing wind. Tongues of fire appeared, and they began speaking in other languages. As crowds questioned what was happening, Peter declared Joel’s prophecy was being fulfilled before their eyes.

Jesus rose up. His presence came down.

Jesus’ ascension did not mean He was leaving His children alone, but His presence was coming down. His physical presence left, but God’s spiritual presence came down to be with them forever.

We, too, have access to the power from the Holy Spirit. His spirit pours out upon us and remains in us.

That same Spirit encouraged Garrett in his struggle. It gave him hope and reminded him that God was still at work and could bring something good from it.

A song and a sign

Garrett, the only staffer from Louisiana, had relentlessly requested the song Louisiana Saturday Night during camp activities, but it had never been selected.

After four days in bed, he rejoined the group for dinner; no one had expected him to be there. As he walked in, the staff cheered in affirmation and support.

And “Louisiana Saturday Night” began to play.

_____________

Don’t know Jesus? You can.
It would be my greatest honor to take your hand, introduce you and walk you through how to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and how to have a personal relationship with Him. Find out more here.
Where are you, God?

Where are you, God?

by | Feb 7, 2025 | Encouragement, God, Prayer

Christmas Joy

When I woke up, I remembered the snow and ice storm coming across the Midwest heading east, with rain on its way to my part of the country. My son was traveling home from Kentucky that day, prompting me to look at the weather in his location. Sure enough, a snowstorm hovered over that entire part of the country. And he was driving in it.

I immediately thought of the dangers and reached out to a handful of people, asking for prayer for my son and those traveling with him.

Less than an hour later, he called me. They had been in a three-car wreck on the interstate. Everyone was shaky but okay. 

As I thought about the events of the day, I wondered about all those prayers lifted on their behalf. Did God not hear us? Why didn’t he protect them?

In my spirit, these words pricked my heart. “Maybe He did.” Even though they wrecked, God protected them from injury. Things certainly could have been a lot worse.

Have you experienced a similar situation where God spoke to your heart about something you prayed over?

Joseph must have thought God had abandoned or forgotten him when his brothers sold him into slavery. Later, after being wrongly accused and sent to prison, did he question God? Did he wonder if that was the end of his story? (See Genesis 37, 39.)

Hardships can serve a greater purpose

The Bible tells us God wasn’t done with Joseph. He used those experiences to protect Joseph and his family for many years.

Do hardships sometimes come when we are trying to do the Lord’s work? I believe so. We see this often in Scripture as well through our own experiences.

My son and his friends had just left a Christian conference focusing on sharing the good news of Jesus with others. That wreck had to be disheartening after the spiritual encouragement and inspiration they had just experienced.

But God wasn’t done with them and their mission to share Christ.

Now, my car . . . that’s another story.

 

“Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things” (Ecclesiastes 11:5 NLT).

_____________

Don’t know Jesus? You can.
It would be my greatest honor to take your hand, introduce you and walk you through how to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and how to have a personal relationship with Him. Find out more here.
Glimpses of Hope

Glimpses of Hope

by | Jan 22, 2025 | Beauty, Encouragement, Hope

Christmas Joy

It was dead of winter. A week of twenties and thirties temps had this southern girl moving quickly to get to mom and dad’s door.

In my rush,  I almost missed it. But a single rose grabbed my attention. It spoke of hope against all odds. After the prior week’s temperatures, it should have already frozen and drooped by then. Everything else had. But it held on tight, bringing a glimpse of joy and hope to those who would stop long enough to see it.

Hope in a dirty river

We find a man named Naaman in 2 Kings 5. Naaman found hope in a dirty river, but he almost missed it. When the prophet Elisha sent word to wash seven times in the Jordan to heal his leprosy, pride grew in his heart. He left in a rage because the answer he sought did not meet his expectations. Elisha failed to recognize his importance. But pride took a back seat as he listened to his servants and dipped in the Jordan anyway. He was healed.

That simple step changed his perspective. He found hope in a simple act of obedience. He returned to Elisha and gave honor to the God of Israel.

“And he said, ‘Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel’” (2 Kings 5:15 ESV).

If Naaman had not listened to his servants, he would have missed the healing, the blessing God had for him.

Find hope today

Hope discovers meaning in life’s simple experiences.

Has someone sent you a handwritten note? Texted a word of encouragement or a spontaneous word of appreciation? Have you heard a child’s sweet outburst of song? Watched the speck of the sunrise grow on the horizon? Have you experienced a warm hug at just the right time?

What sparks hope in your heart today? Let God encourage you through subtle moments. Embrace the beauty in the ordinary, the simple and the everyday. He’s got an encouraging word woven into everyday experiences. Look for it. And let’s open our hearts to receive it. 

Then let’s become a messenger of hope and share what we’ve discovered with someone who might need it too.

I’m glad I stopped to see that rose and take a picture. I hope it reminds you to have eyes to see God, and recognize His glorious presence in everyday moments.

_____________

Don’t know Jesus? You can.
It would be my greatest honor to take your hand, introduce you and walk you through how to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and how to have a personal relationship with Him. Find out more here.
Tending the Garden

Tending the Garden

by | Sep 11, 2024 | Beauty, Blessing, Encouragement

Knowing God

As our long summer days end, I find myself weeding, trimming and even pulling up plants from my flower beds.

I tried to tend to my garden to keep it healthy by trimming, fertilizing and watering. Many days I found it in a hot mess.

Those potato vines went crazy this year! They grew everywhere, overtaking zinnias and other flowers in the bed, up the porch railing and into the driveway. I cut them back occasionally, but they were a bit overwhelming. Plus, those little flies ate holes in the leaves of my flowering plants!

Some of my garden plants and bushes surprised me. Who knew I had a plum tree that would produce hundreds of plums? And an elderberry bush that I could use for medicinal purposes?

Others brought disappointment. My tomato plants never produced. I blame the potato vines for that. My cucumber plants went wild climbing up a screened-in porch and flowered, to mostly shrivel up later. When I pulled those up, I found four large hidden cucumbers that weren’t edible.

My rose bushes did not disappoint. They were consistent throughout, showing out with bright red, fuchsia and pink blooms. The ginger plants with their big and beautiful white blooms provided a heady aroma on my porch. Both kept my dining room table dressed in color and fragrance.

What a day brings

I think our gardens depict life sometimes. We try to keep healthy by inviting God’s presence into our day, seeking Him and studying His word. Sometimes we still find ourselves in a hot mess.

Some days are just crazy, one setback throwing things off and overwhelming the other areas in our life. Those are the days we need to keep the right perspective . . . and keep ourselves healthy physically, mentally and spiritually.

Sometimes a day takes a surprising turn, and we enjoy the fruits of that, finding joy in the blessings that come our way.

Our personal “life” gardens surprise us and showcase a diversity of people He created to make our lives beautiful and fulfilling.

And let’s just be honest. Some days bring disappointment. What do we do when life seems to spiral out of control? If we are grounded in our faith, we weather those days. When disappointment comes, we can take time with those close to us, investing in others. We can be intentional about our relationships and stop fueling unhealthy relationships – those that bring us down instead of lifting us up and encouraging us.

Thankfully, some days bring about much joy and color to our lives. These serve as a vital part of your life’s garden. What are the activities in your life that give you joy, provide a sense of accomplishment, serve others and make your days fulfilling?

Think of the people in your life — the bright and colorful additions — who can lift your spirits, supporting and encouraging you when you need it. These people are bold enough to speak the truth into your life, who call it like it is.

Preparing for the next season

In the good and bad, the surprising and the steady, we can find joy in our season. Let’s approach this next season with purpose, discipline and endurance.

From the beauty around us to the people God places in our path, be refreshed and let the beautiful garden of our lives refresh others. 

“The LORD will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing,” (Isaiah 51:3 NIV).

_____________

Don’t know Jesus? You can.

It would be my greatest honor to take your hand, introduce you and walk you through how to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and how to have a personal relationship with Him.

Find out more here.

Umbrellas

Umbrellas

by | Jul 3, 2024 | Encouragement, Friendship, Support

Squeal with delight

This blog post was written by my friend Christy McIntyre. She shared her thoughts with me one day while walking and they resonated. I hope it encourages you too.

Christy has been a teacher in 3 countries, Director of Training for Totalfit, and married to her best friend for 23 years. She is currently launching her two kids into adulthood, loving Jesus, and trying to find the next iteration of life God has for her, probably on the other side of the planet. Meanwhile, she writes observations and God-given notes in her phone that hopefully won’t break before she puts them all in a book.

I love her perspective on life and her teaching spirit. Enjoy!

______________________

When exactly did the lie begin? You know the lie, that being a grown-up was a straight path, predictable, and for the most part, planned.

We, well at least I, grew up antsy to become an adult and couldn’t wait to be out there doing all the adult things. For some reason, watching our moms and dads do the mundane seemed extraordinary. Seemed effortless. Seemed, like a straight line on a smooth road. Did they just not tell us about the bumps along the way or storms that popped up out of nowhere? Were they better at navigating the bumps, the curves, or even the quick hard left turns that life seems to throw at us regularly?

Hope and Help

Despite the answer, the truth is, adult life is just a series of storms. Unfortunately, we can’t watch the “adult life weather report” because there is no meteorologist for each of our lives predicting the sunshine, clouds, torrential rain or damaging winds on the horizon.

But just like the actual weather, life storms will come and nothing can be done to stop them. What if instead of trying to avoid the storms we looked around for hope and help, like umbrellas on a rainy day?

Umbrellas are everywhere, useful, and can even change the course of our day especially if we don’t have to get totally drenched in a pop-up storm. The people we choose as friends, work partners, and even our community are just like those umbrellas. They impact our emotional state in ways we can’t fathom.

Relief and Calm

The relief and calm they bring help shift our perspective, offer good advice, bring humor to situations, and make moments of joy and hope that are the sunshine and fair weather that help us carry on. Friends will often sit with us in hard times offering wisdom beyond our capacity or a place of calm to process the crazy.

Long gone are the days of umbrella holders right inside the entry to homes and businesses, but what if we look at our collection of friends and memories as just that? A collection of umbrellas that help us to endure a storm and steady us in the rain.

This week look for the umbrellas. It could be a moment of joy or a friend. Go be an umbrella when you see a storm approaching someone you love.

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity,” (Proverbs 17:17 NIV).

 

_____________

Don’t know Jesus? You can.

It would be my greatest honor to take your hand, introduce you and walk you through how to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and how to have a personal relationship with Him.

Find out more here.

Be Grateful and Press On

Be Grateful and Press On

by | Mar 22, 2024 | Encouragement, Gratitude, Joy

Squeal with delight

I caught my 6’5”, 240-pound son.

Have you ever seen something about to happen and could do nothing to stop it? I didn’t plan to be the barrier between my son and the floor, but it happened in an instant.

I saw the equipment in the physical therapy room and cautioned my son to be careful as he hobbled by with his crutches.

It was too late. His crutch caught the equipment leg and he lunged toward me. Only two days after his ACL/meniscus surgery, I knew he couldn’t put any weight on that foot.

Between his look of panic and my expression of dread, I braced myself as his chest hit my face like a brick wall. I held tight, shocked yet thankful he was not on the floor.

A moment of gratitude

What could have been devastating turned into a moment of gratitude.

He felt gratitude for me being there to catch him. I was grateful he didn’t damage the recent knee repair or crush me in the process.

Have you been there? Have you escaped something that led to disaster, but God supplied the rescue? Maybe he provided a way out or the encouragement to move forward and press on. You felt a sense of gratitude come over you.

Jesus’ crucifixion must have shocked and unnerved his followers. It must have hit them hard.

When Mary Magdalen and the other women went to the tomb three days later, they expected to find the broken and unrecognizable body of their Lord.

Instead, they found something far greater. Their weeping turned to joy. Fear grew to gratitude. Their despair changed to determination.

Energized to press on

Jesus met them in their time of need and encouraged them, energized them to press on and moved them to go and tell the disciples that He had risen just as He said. (See Matthew 28.)

Jesus champions our walk. He delivers us in our time of need. He catches us when we fall and encourages us to press on toward our goal.

A friend once encouraged me to stop what I was doing and go run. My mind told me I needed to run . . . for my health and my marathon training. Instead, I offered excuses. I had too many things to do so I didn’t want to take the time. Plus, the sky looked overcast with a threat of rain.

But I followed her advice. Not long after I started running, the sun broke out. As I ran, I felt better than I thought I would. I ran better than I thought I would. My outlook changed and I found encouragement to press on and stay in the race.

Commissioned to press on

Isn’t that so much like Him? Like a trusted friend, he encourages us. He loves us. Jesus nudges us to press on and stay in the race. He urges us to remain focused on the task He wants us to do. Whether in sunshine or storm, He stands there waiting to be what we need at that moment.

Jesus’ followers didn’t know it yet, but their race was just beginning. After His instruction and encouragement for 40 days, they went on to spread the gospel with passion and without fear throughout the first-century world.

So be encouraged. Embrace gratitude. Stay focused on your God-given dreams and see the hand of God at work in your life. And should you fall, He’ll be there.

_____________

Don’t know Jesus? You can.

It would be my greatest honor to take your hand, introduce you and walk you through how to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and how to have a personal relationship with Him.

Find out more here.

 

;