The Sun Will Shine Again

By Sharon Chiellini

Sometimes the Lord presses on my heart to write about a specific topic or subject and I have no idea why, but He is persistent so I obey. I pray that no one reading my blog walks away with the impression that I think I have all the answers because I'll be the first to admit that I most certainly do not. I am no more "together" than the next girl, and my life is far from perfect, but I have chosen to let God use me in my brokenness to make sure that others know how amazing God is and that they are not alone. It is most likely not by chance that you have stumbled onto my blog today, so grab yourself a hot cup of tea, preferably Chai, my personal favorite ☺ and pull up a chair and visit for awhile. We have a divine appointment you and me.

I encounter many hurting people on my life's journey and each one has their own story to tell. Maybe you are reading this and you are brokenhearted because your heart is aching for a lost love or perhaps at this very moment your family is being torn apart by divorce. Maybe you are broken financially and don't even know how you are going to feed your children tomorrow. Maybe your days are enveloped in fear from an emotionally or physically abusive relationship that you feel powerless to break free from. Perhaps you've received a medical diagnosis that has rocked your world and you realize how incredibly precious and short life is. Take heart my friend, I have been to all these dark places and many others at one time or another in my life. I have been there and I have seen it. I have felt it and tasted it, feared it, hated it and agonized over it and called out for deliverance from it. Trust me when I tell you that when the storm passes, which it will, you will see that it served a purpose and with a little faith the clouds will lift and the sun will shine again.

As much as I wish I could erase the painful memories of my past I would never wish to be the person that I would have been without them. The times of deep pain have taught me compassion and given me inner strength. The meager times have taught me how little I needed to be happy. Love withdrawn from me taught me to put my Savior first. Watching loved ones suffer taught me to let go and have faith. Facing death taught me not to fear it and peace amidst the storm taught me that I was not alone.

But for me the real battle has always been in the sheer torture of "Why me?...What did I do to deserve this?...Doesn't God love me?" Of course common sense tells us that we are victims of our own free will and that the choices we make today no matter how large or small, not only determine who we are but also who we will become. So some of the trials we face are because of our own stupidity but certainly not all of them. I assure you, not all of them. We live each and every day in a fallen world.

King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 9:11, 12 ....

The race is not to the swift
or the battle to the strong,
nor does food come to the wise
or wealth to the brilliant
or favor to the learned;

but time and chance happen to them all.

Moreover, no one knows when their hour will come:

As fish are caught in a cruel net,
or birds are taken in a snare,
so people are trapped by evil times 

that fall unexpectedly upon them.

Wow, read that several times to fully grasp it. Sometimes we are just caught in the net and it's not our fault. I have lost track of how many times I have blamed myself for things that were not my fault or felt punished for a crime I did not commit. Let's not forget good ol' Job. Wow, 42 chapters of torture for a man that was "blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil." Talk about bad things happening to good people! But don't forget, God restored Job and blessed him with more than he had in the first place.

So if you are looking for an anchor in the storm, call out to the Lord. He will hear you. I pray that you have not fallen victim to blaming Him for the storm you are in or harboring resentment toward Him. He is the one person that loves you more than you could ever dream or imagine. He is not the enemy, He is the savior who has already fought the fight for us. But He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. Isaiah 53:4-5

I have graciously been given wisdom in times of confusion and peace in times of utter turmoil and these things are offered to you as well. You are not alone during these difficult times but you have to reach out and ask for help and He is faithful to impart it, all it takes is a little faith. So swallow that last drop of tea and snuggle up with the Lord and have a nice long chat. He is waiting just for you my friend.

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Until next time,

Strength and honor in Christ

Kari Jobe singing "Healer"
Dedicated to my sweet Sistah Becky.
I love you!

They will turn to the Lord, and He will

respond to their pleas and heal them. Isaiah 19:22

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Falling Flower Petals

By Sharon Chiellini

The once flourishing and vibrantly colorful flowers on my dining room table had begun to lose the fight with death over the past few days and started dropping their petals one at a time like sands in an hourglass. There were now more petals on the table than on the stems and I knew they were soon doomed for the trash barrel. I really hated to see them go. My sistah friend Tracy brought them with her to a get together we had here a couple of weeks ago and they have been a cheerful centerpiece for our family meal table ever since. But their time was up, their usefulness had past and their beauty had faded. Ouch! Hitting a little too close to home for this forty something housewife!

At my age, yes, even falling flower petals can make you tear up. If you are over 40 you know exactly what I mean and if you are under forty, your time will come. Anyway, I had pity on the dead flowers and I let them keep their place in the center of my table even though they were bald and scraggly. I had become attached to them. If I had thought it would actually work I would have glued their petals back on, but get real, who has time for that?

Early this morning as I shuffled into the kitchen and proceded to get my morning brew going, I dumped the old coffee grounds into the trash and was startled to see my dead flowers staring up at me from the depths of the trash barrel. "wimper". Apparently, hubby is not a fan of bald scraggly flowers. Dead flowers in the trash? Yes they made me tear up, but also inspired me to write this post, so all is not lost. It's all about finding your motovation, so if dead flowers motivate me...and you...to be more productive today, then I am thankful for dead flowers.

Ephesians 5:15-17
Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.

When I picture a flower whose petals are dropping in slow mo, it makes me think of how limited our time is here on earth and how much quicker time goes by the older we get. It gives me a renewed sense of urgency. We all have a limited number of petals and once they fall, you can't glue them back on!

We all have the same number of minutes and hours in a day so how come it seems like some people accomplish so much more than others with the same amount of time? I have been very self conscious lately of how I spend my time and have been trying to make the most of it. But most importantly I have been praying for the Lord to give me direction and focus when it comes to not only my time, but my talents and my heart as well. Sometimes we let our hearts get wrapped up in the wrong things. Not necessarily ugly or yucky stuff, but things that merely distract us from what we really should be focusing on. Whatever the desires of your heart are, that's what your time and talents will get sucked into as well. Just picture a vacume sucking up your flower petals! Ugh! Pull the plug!

Matthew 6:20 & 21

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by my blog and share this moment with me. You are just like a beautiful, vibrantly colorful flower and no matter what lies the enemy has told you, you are precious and priceless in God's sight. He loves you and earnestly seeks to have a closer relationship with you. My prayer for you is that you open your heart to all that He desires to give you, salvation, peace, wisdom, freedom, forgiveness, whatever your heart needs today, He holds the key. He is mighty to save.

Until next time my friend.
Strength and honor in Christ

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