Author: bonniejeancarr

For weeks, “Speaker of the House”, as I’ve dubbed my favored nine-month-old baby where I volunteer, and I have been in a war of words. He keeps screaming “Da, Da, Da, Da, Da”; and I keep correcting “Ma, Ma, Ma, Ma, Ma”. Whenever I walk into his sight, this ball of energy looks me straight in the eye, smiles and unleashes his “Da, Da” litany. My “Ma, Ma” retort only encourages him to turn up the volume and continue his chant.

While “Speaker of the House” and my fiery debate is a game we both love playing, it is, also, grounded in a sincere empathy on my part. You see, I volunteer at a home for young and alone pregnant/recently delivered girls and their babies. These bundles of blessings have a loving mother, but daddies do not exist in their lives. My personal admiration for these young women choosing life and to raise their children on their own is strong. Thus, my heart breaks when they hear their little ones’ first word is “Da, Da” not “Ma, Ma”. From this root grows my intense effort to re-write the universal order of first word uttered by a baby. That was until the night God reminded me, He is the Creator of life, and His order is not flawed – nor is it negotiable. From this, the following was perceived.

“Da, Da” is the first recognizable. sound a human being speaks. Mankind, in their self-centered thinking, assumes the baby is referring to a human father; but is this fact or fiction? Could it be that all human beings were created to FIRST and foremost recognize and call out to “Da, Da”, their Father in Heaven?

What God wants most from each and every one of us, His children, is a “Da, Da” Father/child relationship where, in all we say and do, HE is our first – not last. Never again will I overlook the prospect that a baby’s first word is meant to praise Creator “Da, Da” in Heaven, not a human father on earth. From our first word to our last breath, God created us to praise His name and proclaim our love for Him. Why do we overlook, forget or ignore this?

After God’s lesson, which broadened my perspective on first words, He assigned me homework. While the young moms at the home all appreciate the energy this old grammy is exerting to teach their babies to say “Ma, Ma”, I am now charged with reminding them that God, our “Da, Da”, wants us all (regardless of our age) to call His name as a first response, not a last resort. “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13 (ESV)

Last Sunday not a single place to park a car could be found in church lots, or even lawns. Standing room only was jammed packed in aisles of worship centers across our globe. For me personally, I admit I even found a note of humor that it was impossible to discern if church attendees were raising their arms in praise of God or to flag down a late arriving relative whose seat a family member was saving.

This morning stark difference was striking. Parking spots could be found, and children reclaimed greenspace and were running on grass that a week ago was guzzled up by automobiles. Additionally, as worship unfolded, hands were “soul”y raised to praise God, not signaling a sole to a seat. What a difference a week made, but why???

Seriously, I’m perplexed at the Easter only worshippers. I understand, and applaud, the euphoria surrounding Christ has risen and death is conquered. I’m missing how this translates into no need, or desire, to walk with God till we are risen with Jesus and our deaths have been conquered. Granted, Jesus does it all, but who are we to take for granted that He will do it all for us and lead us into Resurrection without our faithfully following Him to the threshold of this victory. Aren’t we slamming the door on walking with and praising God while expecting Him to carry us and raise us into the open gates of Heaven? We act as if Heaven’s gates are automatically open and aren’t unlocked only if we choose to, constantly and consistently, follow Christ as our Savior and Lord. Question is, does one day a year constitute constantly and consistently?

Truly, I can’t speak for God, so my heart rejoices in all “one Sunday a year” worshippers; and my soul prays they weekly return to God’s places of worship to defeat the devil’s daily insurrections, instead of just claiming Easter Sunday’s celebration of Christ’s resurrection.

Still, I continue to wonder is it fear of death or revere of resurrected life that leads Easter to being the one day a year when the largest number of mankind renders God their foremost praise and glory? However, let me clearly proclaim that like unto God, I rejoice in each and every person who flocks to church on Easter Sunday — for each is welcome and belongs in God’s fold. My hope is only that all join in to overcrowd all God’s Houses of Worship each and every Sunday of our calendar year.

Friday was the crucifixion of Christ. Sunday was His Resurrection. What happened on Saturday? Christ’s family of believers were in hiding, fearful for their physical well-being, lacking a show of faith in all their crucified leader had promised: “…’The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And when He is killed, after three days He will rise.’ ” Mark 9:31 (ESV).

Ironically, on that Saturday post crucifixion, Jesus’ enemies, the chief priests and Pharisees, were the ones afraid of Christ’s words. They, not the disciples, were hearing and haunted by the words Jesus had spoken. Would Jesus be resurrected, or could His body be stolen and resurrection, thereby, be claimed? Fearing either, “The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priest and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, ‘Sir, we remember how that imposter said, while He was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise’. Therefore, order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples go and steal Him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead”. Matthew 27:62-64 (ESV)

Consequently, can it not be concluded that on Holy Saturday the truth, power and fulfillment of Christ’s words were submerged in unlikeliness in the believer but an emergent probability in the non-believer? Plain and simple, the believers were forgetting faith produces what is thought to be impossible, as the non-believers were warding off the recognition of faith’s possibility. Thus, on this, the day when Christ was silent in the tomb, maybe we are meant to be His voice. Let’s ponder whether the voice of our faith is suppressed by worldly fear or vibrantly professing that which Christ has promised: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

Our world is as decayed as any point in the history of mankind. Not an era exists that our current fall from morality doesn’t equal — or possibly even surpass. So, we, Christians, are raising our prayers to our Heavenly Father, imploring Him to send us a leader who can guide our world back to Him and restore generations old Judeo/Christian values in the lives of Americans

Recently, while, myself, praying this plea, God opened my perspective and understanding. He infused me with the awareness that America is not in need of a good leader, but rather, a good follower. What we truly need and long for is not the humans who pompously brag about their capability to lead, but one who humbly surrenders his ability over to following God’s will and way.

What we are seeing (and how we arrived at current immorality) is the product of our leaders convinced their power and knowledge is the answer, while never questioning if they are fulfilling God’s purpose and wisdom for them. Those who, today, proclaim they can lead us seem overly confident that they know the right, new and different laws and decisions to make. On the contrary, shouldn’t we be seeking out a candidate who knows God as his leader and desires to follow our Creator’s age-old commandments and course to guide mankind back to God’s peace and prosperity? Is this a time for a flock of boasting, know-it-all, worldly stars to reign in command or one who seeks God, believing God alone can rein in the evil overcoming our world?

There’s not a doubt in my soul that all Christians are praying to be delivered from the evil surrounding us. However, the question is for this to be granted, must we be praying for a leader or a follower?

Mommies and Daddies across our nation are struggling with the question of what is best for their children. The neighborhood school has become a place of uncertainty, at best, and child destruction, at worst. Believe me, I am grateful and relieved that my children were schooled at a time when knowledge (not indoctrination) was the schools to impart, and doctrine was the parents and God’s church to Biblically bestow. However, I’m by no means escaping the evils of today. I have precious grandchildren. Thus, my heart and soul deeply implore God to guide, guard and lead me and my grown children to protect and produce His will, way and purpose in each of the precious hearts and souls He entrusts our family.

There is no simple one-chapter solution for this task. However, I firmly believe the Books of the Bible are the textbook composing the framework for the “soul”ution, and one compound sentence can build the upright walls of Godly children. The Bible is familiar to us all. My compound sentence is of my personal origin, and I wish to introduce it to you — Don’t best your child; bless your child. Let’s think about this.

Focus, more often than not, is on giving our children the best. However, in today’s world, the best is almost impossible to decipher. Maybe instead, we should be seeking to, first and foremost, bless our children. Our children don’t need the world’s best, but rather, that which allows God to bless them.

It is solely confusing as to what path in present day schools will deliver our children to the doors of educational knowledge. However, it is “soul”y clear that the course of God’s teachings will transport our children to the window of Biblical wisdom. The critical decision becomes if our burning concern for our children is for their educational knowledge or Biblical wisdom. Are we encouraging our children to climb to the stars of the universe or journey to God’s heaven?

Parents (and grandparents) most fear the decision of where to educate their children when the Bible, in its acronym, (“B”asic “I”nstruction “B”efore “L”eaving “E”arth) is not the primary, and pivotal, textbook followed. Simply stated, what avenue best educates our children is secondary to what road will lead to God blessing our children.

When crossroads arrive as to what direction we should choose for our children, the teaching of Christ is the compass that should navigate our course. “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” Matthew 16:26 (ESV). May all our decisions for our children be in answer to this question; for then and only then, will we have chosen not to best our children but to bless our children.

Being a soul of imagery, I listen to so many in anguish crying out that they are trapped in turmoil, injustice and toxic messes of all genres and visualize what God might be showing me. Society (and also Christianity) seems fenced in on all sides by ensnaring attacks.

I found myself pondering if outside imposed havoc or inner predisposed inability to act and change desolation is the enemy’s captive strategy? How much easier is it to choose captivity over setting oneself free? Captivity takes helplessness in the known. Freedom takes helping oneself into the unknown. Captivity is letting fear keep you in the known. Freedom is possessing the courage to seize the unknown.

This week I brought this quandary to God. Instantly, He painted a picture for me. I saw a lost desolate human being completely fenced in on all sides by chain links representing all Satan’s imposed trials and tribulations. The Holy Spirit’s illumination, having been greatly suppressed by the prisoners’ closed minds, clenched fists, dug in heels and eyes that stared only at what was behind and familiar, was only dimly present. A SONbeam stretched into the cutoff prison. It illuminated the lock on the gate barrier, separating captivity from freedom. Suddenly, a veil was lifted from my eyes. The lock was revealed to be on the inside. To get out of captivity, the prisoner had only to reach out and open the lock. Satan was not the power keeping the hostage imprisoned. Closed minds, clenched fists, dug in heels and eyes that stared only behind and at what was familiar were the captive force.

One more view God shared. The soil of the fenced in prison was composed of quicksand. In its center were poles many captives were struggling to climb, only to slide back down into the devouring sinkhole. Outside the walls of the prison stood God’s army of Scripture clad promises. Each was represented by a fishing pole whose line was cast over the prison fence. Theirs was the strength and COURAGE needed and offered to all who chose to be pulled totally out of the quicksand and not just up for a short breath before sliding back down into its hold. The chant: “Pray for God’s strength and BEG FOR GOD’S COURAGE filled the air.

To all suffering captivity, my intercession to God is that you reach for the lock only your hands can open. Free yourself by reaching for and holding onto God’s promises, not the pole of Santan’s slippery slope. Where you are is not holding you back. Rather, the fear of going forward is the impediment you need to overcome. The only way forward is to not keep going back. The shackle that restrains you from freedom and moving beyond chaos’ pit can be broken. God’s strength can only deliver you, if you hold onto His COURAGE which is, truly and absolutely, needed to “Let Go and Let God”.

“Happy Saturday fam! I’m down in Miami…covering the World Baseball Classic!…it’s been a blast so far! I’m covering Pool D which is all the Caribbean teams…the games are like a playoff game as this is their World Cup! It’s like one big party for them the whole game. They bring their flags and instruments in the stadium and everything!” So read the text my son shared yesterday.

My initial reaction was excitement and joy. Can’t you imagine the scene? The moment of truth is happening on the field, completely wrapped in nations’ flags and the allegiance of deafening patriotic music. Instinctively, I wished I, too, had the honor of being there. At that moment, the Champion of all champions, our hero Jesus, delivered his review to my ears and heart. His headline was: sports stadium roars with faithful fans; but My church arena fails to soar with impassioned believers. Ouch!

God’s children, with every ounce of strength rally, loudly, behind the worldly game of home runs; but sadly, we dally in silent weakness when it comes to the divine win of running home to heaven. Instead of bemoaning this reality, I choose, instead, to dream of what it could (and should) be like if we rallied behind our God as we do our sports teams.

Let me say upfront, it is not wrong to cheer for our team. What’s wrong is not giving God equal loyalty, enthusiasm and wholehearted support and praise. We are not called to do away with jubilant cheers and sport celebrations. However, aren’t we, first and foremost, called to wave high the banner of Christ’s Cross and “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn — shout for joy before the Lord, the King. Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy; let them sing before the Lord.” Psalms 98: 4-9 (NIV)?

Bottom line is it is not wrong to cheer for our team till our vocal cords are strained into silence. None the less, our greater privilege is to rid ourselves of current day laryngitis and resoundingly cry out our adoration to (and for) our Lord. Visualize with me a goose bump producing, stadium size congregation singing love, praise and devotion to the greatest winner of all, our brother, Jesus Christ. Now, this is the celebration to which I long for my ticket to read “standing room only”! Amen and alleluia!!!

Truly, I love and look forward to worship on Sundays. However, this past week found me mounting my soapbox and preaching that on Sundays we go to worship and NOT to CHURCH. Church is not a place or a building. WE, YOU and ME, ARE THE CHURCH. Recently, the world has pummeled me with this fact; but God, more significantly, has used it to pump me up.

Quite automatically, Christians have come to nonchalantly believe Church is a building to which they go. On the contrary, God (as spoken by Paul in the New Testament) tells us “…For we are the temple of the living God.” 2 Corinthians 6:16 (NLT)

A building can open its doors to a place where we can sit down; but only God’s people can take a stand, represent God’s word and change the world from denouncing God’s presence and power to proclaiming and praising His rule and glory. A building can congregate a crowd, but only a congregation can shepherd God’s flock. Tragedy is the unheralded truth is that a building cannot hear the sheep crying out and parishioners are deaf to the reality that these cries are meant for their ears to hear and heed.

It is more than time that we, the CHURCH, stop thinking a building is the laborer designated to do God’s work. Our hearts, souls, hands, mouths, ears and feet are the instruments through which God’s work is to be accomplished.

It bears repeating. Church is not a place or a building. WE, YOU and ME, ARE THE CHURCH. My prayer is that we realize not a physical structure but rather you and me are to do what Jesus commands HIS CHURCH to do. “…’You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” Matthew 22: 37-40 (NLT)

For three-quarters of a century, I’ve lived solely convinced our hearts were all created to reach out. Last Wednesday my soul realized otherwise. God created our hearts not to reach out but to pull in.

Wednesdays always find me volunteering at a Christian home for unwed young ladies, who are either with child or new moms. Having just put a little seven-month-old down for his nap, I, literally, bumped into one of the most amiable young ladies in the home. The last weeks of her pregnancy were anything but a piece of cake; but, nonetheless, she always is sweet icing to my cherished Wednesdays.

Face to face in the hallway, she sincerely shared the bubbling over emotions of her heart and soul. She announced the doctor had scheduled her to be induced the following Monday. Teary eyed she expressed her deep gratitude for all the volunteers who had loved her, walked by her side and cared about her and whose hearts would be waiting to love her little boy when she brought him back to the home. By now both of us were blurry eyed. My arms hugged her as my heart pulled her in.

I assured this soon to be mommy that we volunteers had done not nearly as much for her as she had done for us. For me personally, right then and there, she had taught me that God created our hearts not to reach out and help but to pull in and love. I added for her to make no mistake, all of us volunteers have pulled her into our hearts and love her and her baby. We all are members of God’s family and that’s what God created and commissioned His family to do.

And so, I now ponder even deeper. Did God create our hearts to reach out? Or did He create our hearts to pull in? I can reach out and still distance my heart from those to whom I am extending my caring and help. However, is this Jesus love? Didn’t Jesus choose to place Himself, His love, and His help in the midst of those He came to save? Doesn’t a heart that pulls in better image the love of Jesus?

“Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are His dear children. Live a life filled with love, following in the example of Christ…” Ephesians 5:1 (NLT)

There I was walking my heart out and feeling my soul was exhausted, too. Having hours earlier been updated by a dear Christian friend concerning Satanic worship becoming an American norm, my immediate empathy went to God. I assumed He must be up in heaven hurt and disillusioned with His earthly children. Convinced His eyesight was focused on mankind, once more, entrenched in the practice of pagan idolatry, my being was immersed in disbelief and regret that our population, more and more, was abandoning their code of Scripture ethics and God, Himself. How can our earth be marred by abandonment of our Creator, His Son who died for our redemption and Holy Spirit direction and wisdom was reverberating in my thoughts.

As I was drowning in my self declared pity party for God, His wakeup call broke through my delusion. First and foremost, God brought me from my assessment of spiritual drought to the fount of His love and mercy. God offered me answers by asking me questions. Would my God let His overwhelming feeling be pessimism for the lost or optimism for the found? Would my God be more motivated by His power to destroy the enemy or preserve the faithful? Would my God be anticipating defeat for the wayward or victory for the steadfast?

My state of mind dramatically shifted once my heart and soul pondered these questions. The downward nosedive of the world does not (and cannot) cease the upward spiral of God’s faithful children being redeemed, restored and resurrected into eternity in heaven. No longer do I imagine God to be pitied because of sinful man. Instead, I realize, with God, demonic darkness fades into the background when SONlight glows in the forefront. Don’t misinterpret me. God will, most definitely, end the current reign of evil; and His victory will emerge out of His wielding His greatest might. However, I do believe He will strike down evil not out of anger over Satan’s wicked but out of love for His faithful remnant.

“Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous. The Lord knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will remain forever; they are not put to shame in evil times; in the days of famine they have abundance. But the wicked will perish; the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures; they vanish — like smoke they vanish away.” Psalm 37: 16-20 (ESV)