Corrie Ten Boom Quote

God Step In

Corrie Ten Boom Quote

How can we not feel discouraged by the current state of Creation? A tyrant with no moral compass is pillaging what is good. I discovered that my beloved Park where I run, hike, walk my dogs and pray is using toxic glysophate to “clean up” the overgrowth (kills nature, gets into the groundwater, decimates bee populations, and gives pets and humans alike cancer). I know five people will brain tumors, four under the age of fifty. 400 Afghan refugees landed in Nashville three months ago. They risked their lives for the American government, have lost everything and are currently living below the poverty line. I look to the right and the left for a leader I can trust and get behind to no avail. Mother Nature is under siege by our short-sighted and egoic whims. I wonder how Jesus didn’t throw in the towel two thousand years ago so disappointed in humanity and this broken world. Easy it would be to lose ourselves down the black hole of negativity. A hero speaks out of the rubble and reminds the world that if not us, who will fight for the good, the beauty, and the hope that remains? If we look back along the timeline of human history, we witness ordinary individuals who acted magnificently in thought, word and deed to turn the tide of darkness back toward the light. And we lived for another day. I am reminded of the words of St.Thérèse of Lisieux who said, “Do little things with great love.” I believe this will tip the domino.

 

 

Blaise Pascal suggested in times of struggle and heartbreak, we must keep something beautiful in our minds at all times. For me, it is the first bloom of my tulip poplar, my six-year-old son Finn in his Spider Man costume spinning imaginary webs, making a big green salad for lunch for my husband, listening to my friend Michael Graham on the piano at church, sharing tea with Sayid, my new Afghan friend, and dreaming with him of his new future in America. These images begin to form a collage of hope within me. Easy it is to pass along bad news in conversation and through your social media outlets, much harder to gain traction with “gospel “news. Bad news calluses the heart, words of hope inspire us to action. What are you passing on?

 

 

I will continue to pray for Ukraine, take fresh vegetables and halal meat to the Afghan community, and speak a word of hope and encouragement to anyone who crosses my path. Little things done with great love!

 

I pray you have a blessed week!

God Step In

Dear God,

How do I make peace with the present “Unfair”

(the cruel)?

How many times must a heart be broken?

I conjure so many different outcomes—

Where mothers do not lose children

and children do not lose mothers.

No one is hungry and war, archaic, is dropped from the lexicon.

Where everyone knows the exquisite experience of being loved.

Today, my daughter asked me how I could still believe—

Like me, she painfully swallows the world’s hurts deep inside.

I told her this truth:

Nothing survives in a Black Hole.

The reality is none of us are safe from the fate of Jesus,

Nor thankfully—His destiny.

Dear God, please step in and save the day,

we both know there is much good to be saved.

I am holding You to Your promise that

Love will find a way.

Make good on your word

For her, for me, for all.

A hopeful Amen.

weekly_tip_for_souljoy

 A gift for you: Samuel Barber’s, Agnes Dei. This music rallies my soul.

4 Comments
  • Jade Forlidas

    March 28, 2022 at 7:31 am

    Amen. ‘Those who wait on the Lord…’
    Waiting, hoping, trusting with you. Thank you for sharing your light.

  • Sox foster

    March 28, 2022 at 9:03 am

    Very needed message in our today’s world/ thank you, Farrell

  • Cass Meeks

    March 28, 2022 at 9:33 am

    Thank you, Farrell, your words give me hope and help me cope. Thank you.

  • Amey Warder

    March 28, 2022 at 10:42 am

    Yes Farrell! I know it is work to find the good and to remain faithful to living in hope. We must do this work for God and to spread his joy and comfort even in all the darkness we are experiencing, day in a day out. For when are hearts remainin touch with God and his glory, we truly see the good in these hard days as well. And his beauty trumps all pain.