Uplifted in a Broken Down World

It’s hard, if not impossible, to recognize our current world in comparison to Fifty years ago, when I was a spring chicken. Everything, from conveniences to necessities to the family unit are totally different. Nothing is the same was my deduction, until I heard God’s firm “Um, I beg your pardon!”. Oops, I’d overlooked the most crucial fundamental of all — God as the indispensable, non-changing element of life. His Word, its message, meaning, commands, reprimands and rewards have, throughout the ages, never changed.

Undeniably, each generation, since Jesus walked the earth, lives differently EXCEPT for the SOUL aspect of Christianity. God is the only unifying strand whose recognition, presentation and value are one and the same from year to year and generation to generation. God is never labeled “outdated” nor “renovated”. God never expires and always inspires.

Modern day finds this old grammy sometimes bemoaning the pages of life. It’s as if the saga of society is a novel, the likes of which are completely foreign to my generation. However, there is one staple whose deeper message is proof God never changes, is eternal and defies the passing of time being able to make Him obsolete or alter His essence. Plain and simple, it’s the BIBLE. Whether the date was 100 BC or 2025 AD, families told, and still tell, the exact same Bible Stories. Be it Adam and Eve, Noah, Jonah, Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon, Peter, Paul, Christ, etc., etc., etc., all generations share a carbon copy script of all Bible written stories.

Herein, is rooted great testimony to our always present, eternal God. In our ever changing, flip-flop world, God is and remains one and the same no matter what generation is current. Over time generations weigh in differently on whether food and vitamins are healthy. However, the nourishment of the Body and Blood of Christ never has, not will, waiver from being the past’s, the present’s and the future’s food for life.

I smile cause as I’m closing this blog, my heart remembers a yesterday moment. My four-year-old granddaughter asked her mommy if they could play the Bible Story Game. How proud Rosemary was when she recited the same stories I long ago did with my Mother. Doesn’t matter your generation, God is the glue that cements us all together as family.

How often in our man-planned daily timelines do the days get closer to our scheduled endpoint, yet seem more and more behind from the desired goal? I’m pretty sure the chorus is a crescendo of “too many”!!! May I share this thought?

“Plan A” is always our (and the world’s) devised schedule and scheme. We consider “Plan A” the best. When even a thought of maybe needing a “Plan B” arises, we think fail and disaster. However, the true meaning and message of “Plan B” harbors in what definition we give the letter “B”.

For us Christians, “Plan B” should be “Plan ‘B’ELIEVE”. Going from “Plan A” to “Plan B” must be the transformation from the world as “Plan A’s” producer to God as “Plan B’s” Director. “Plan ‘B’ELIVE” proclaims we trust God and “B”elieve that whatever route HE charts for us to cross our finish line is, in HIS wisdom, how best to grant us our deepest blessings. Maybe it’s not “Plan A’s” smooth sailing that we initially calculated, but God’s greatest gift (the Crucifixion’s Redemption) came through enduring and defeating the storm — not circumventing it.

Thus, if and when, a “Plan B” must unfold, don’t overlook any sign God sends because our eyes remain glued to our missed, manmade schedule. When God has a greater “Plan ‘B’ELIEVE” gift for us, instead of sighing in defeat, we need to rely on HIS providence, calm our anxious hearts by trusting HIM and rev up our souls to see HIS will and way ultimately bless us far beyond our failed, worldly timeline.

To (and in) the world, these past few weeks I disappeared and would be labeled AWOL – “Away With Out Leave”. To me (and God) in recent time I appeared and truly have been AWOL – “Always With Our Lord”.

The question, whose answer needs sharing, remains why was I AWOL? Excuses would say I was knee deep in moving residence or heart deep in following a new venture. Reality proclaims I was soul deep, not budging an inch, in re-stabilizing my life journey of “Always With Our Lord”. My vanishing was not a disappearance but an exposure of WHO never loses sight of me and WHOM is revealed in all my eyes perceive and receive.

In my challenges, God is with me helping me keep focusing on HIS closeness and HIS illuminating victory, even when it seems lightyears away. In directional choices, God is the only roadmap capable of guidance through washed out roads, mountainous terrain, deep and dark valleys, bewildering forests, tides toppling castles on the sand and, also, serene, wide open spaces of peace.

This past month, I’ve travelled all of these paths, but God, not I, has piloted each mile. Every leg of the journey has revealed the destination is not somewhere out there that I need to reach, but rather, SOMEONE right here whose wisdom and love longs to teach. My being has not gone through the plight of being lost. It has been blessed with the delight of being re-founded. My pencil has been silent, so written on my life could be newfound understanding and appreciation for “Be Still and Know That I Am God”. Psalm 46:10 (NLT).

I have not been “Away With Out Leave”. I most definitely, and forever will be, “Always With Our Lord”. Amen and Halleluia!!!

The world might be falling apart, but Christ is not. Nor do we, His brothers and sisters, have to be coming apart at the seams. “Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7 (NLT)

“As you live in Christ Jesus”… The question is do we live in Christ Jesus, or do we live in our tumultuous world? In my younger years, pathetically, I would have answered this question not with a correct answer but with a wrong explanation. My simplification would have clarified that in trying to bring Christ to others, I am forced to wade in worldly chaos to get Christ to them. Today, I chuckle at this wrong, directional perception.

Bringing Christ to others plows through chaos and ends up amidst a destination saturated with worldly turmoil and confusion. However, if we bring others to Christ, we leave Satan’s pandemonium and carry ourselves and others to Christ’s throne — where Peace reigns. Man’s earth abounds in war. Christ’s neighborhood is sequestered in Peace. So I ask myself, and you, what direction am I, and you, going when we set out to share the Gospel with others???

My season is transition. By the clock, it seems like a long journey. By God’s watch, arrival is right on time. Never was I anxious. God was leading. I never strayed from completely following. The worldly course was bundled in pieces. The Divine Way was composed of one PEACE — God’s.

The final way for opening the door to new beginnings had become reality. The past was locked up and closed. The future was not yet under roof. The excursion to find the keyhole of new lodging was not to explore but to discover. The address was not mine to choose but God’s to reveal. Of this, I was without a single doubt. Not an unoccupied house was I headed off to find. My search was to accept from God the home He had specifically chosen as where He was calling me to be.

With a list of possibilities in hand, the hunt began. First stop brought treasured past memories back into focus — days of planting, watering and harvesting of earthly family and Heavenly Father. Could it be??? Once inside, the house appeared completely empty. That was until God revealed His choice furnishing. One tangible object personified God’s spiritually indelible sign. Hanging from a closet door was the sole, “soul”mark designating this home God’s choice for me. A white Crucifix swayed on the door handle, and, like a rock, solidified God had led me to “His Hand”picked shelter.

Not one to ever doubt God’s direction, I abandoned departing to continue pursuing the list of potentials. I needed no further confirmation of the arrival of my next, God chosen, home.

In the days to come, my physical stuff will move inside this sole house. However, already within this home, God has transplanted my heart and soul. “For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.” Hebrews 3:4 (NIV)

I’ve been so very blessed this weekend to share the back seat of a car with one of my grandbabies. Noah and his “GaGa” squealed in delight as his one-year-old antics wrapped his Grammy around his tiny fingers

Pointer finger was up and center this weekend. With newly acquired adeptness, my little blessing would, over and over, maneuver his baby pointer to show his GaGa what he wanted me to notice, see and focus on. As I enjoyed our sharing, with wisdom God whispered: “little ones point TO; old ‘uns point AT. TO, not AT, is why the pointer finger was created…” And so, my thoughts wandered deep.

Mankind, be it our finger or our entire being, was created to point TO God. Humanity, however, most often points AT, indicating one who is judged wrong, not worthy or against a held belief. In pointing AT, we fail to point TO the God whose image we are meant to mirror. Pointing AT wrong blurs the revelation of pointing TO the goodness of God.

These past couple of days, as I bounced around the back seat of the car, I, also, tossed around the question: shouldn’t my pointer become more like a child’s, so I can fulfill what God directly created my second finger (and all of me) TO, first and foremost, manifest? When the inhabitants of the world point AT, the picture of Satan’s evil wages the war of discord and destruction. When a child of God points TO, the image of God’s righteousness reflects the peace of His divine intervention and harmony.

Lord, we live in a world of fingers pointing AT. Change us into Your unifying children whose hands and hearts point TO — TO You, our Lord and Savior.

Our world is beyond frightening. Yet, it is so vital our young people possess the courage to live joy-filled, not fear-filled. The question is how do we teach courage? Maybe, courage is incapable of being taught. Possibly, it only grows as an offshoot — an outgrowth of faith, hope and love having been planted, watered and rooted.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6 (ESV)

“For the Lord your God goes with you”… Is Scripture proclaiming courage not coming from ourselves but rather from God going with us? I, 100%, declare Amen, Halleluia and yes!!! I firmly believe man’s outer courage stems from God’s residing inside our being — our minds, our hearts and our souls. If you know God, love God and trust God, then God’s courage is seeded, grows and branches forth from your life.

Imaginary courage is of man — Superman, Batman, Spiderman, etc… True courage, plain and simple, is of God.

On Halloween, children by the hordes don the outer apparel of fictitious brave characters; but not an ounce of inner courage is transmitted through these costumes, for courage is not acquired. Courage is inspired — inspired by God and the Holy Spirit living within us. Costumes are man’s cut and sewn material coverings. Courage is God’s woven fibers of faith, hope and love having become the fabric of our hearts and souls.

The world never sells the symbol for courage as dressing up as Christ on Halloween — or any other day of the year. But every day we should display courage by wearing Christ both inside and outside our being. What’s more, next time a little one pretends he’s a worldly hero, may we all have the courage to share the story that replaces fantasy with truth. It’s past time that Spiderman’s fictitious courage is humbled and replaced by our God who created both spiders and man; and who, truly, is the source of all real courage.

As the 2025 Little League World Series became one for the books, I scrambled to find my scrapbooks from the “Good ‘ol Fun Days”, when my son enjoyed little league All Star play. Though it was serious ball, it was fun, and his future ability to play guided his physical push as a twelve-year-old. Oh, how times have changed. I remember back then my determination was to keep baseball fun, meaningful and healthy for my child; and so, more than two decades ago, my heart penned “From A Dugout View” for my sole (and soul) son.

From a dugout view, let’s gaze into some overlooked windows of BASEBALL.

BASEball – BASE is a solid foundation upon which to build. Could it be that the triumph in BASEball is not in swinging for the stars but in “BASE”ing your dreams on the power and strength held within your own hands???

PLAY ball – Every game begins with the dictate: PLAY ball!!! Aren’t we being told that dreams shouldn’t be a task labored with a mind set on “won” but rather a fun adventure of “one’s” heart???

SACRIFICE – Where else in life is it so natural, and so applauded, to sacrifice for another??? Much honor is gained when a person gives his all so not himself, but a fellow teammate, can fulfill a dream.

1 For 3 – The arrogant calculate that success equals batting a thousand. BASEBALL’s scorebook is humble and measures more than a number. BASEBALL statistics compute when you hold the average of hitting the sweet spot just one out of every three times at bat; then, truly, you possess the priceless wealth of the diamond.

HOME – In BASEBALL, victory comes not from reaching a far distant galaxy but from coming HOME. HOME is where one’s heart, soul, values and dreams are born. The greatest ALL STARS understand the path to every field of dreams begins, and ends, at HOME.

And finally, the SOUL of BASEBALL translates: Even with a full count and two out in the bottom of the ninth, step up to the plate, believe in yourself, and never ever let any pitch convince you that you can’t succeed.

So ends the first inning of dugout view BASEBALL. The rest of the game is up to YOU…

Today, I spent significant time within the glass walls of an airport. It was a good smorgasbord of American people – good, bad and indifferent. My choice of focus was the good.

The veteran – a wheelchair delivered him to the gate. He wrenched with pain. Came to learn shrapnel was the cause, and the only cure would be amputation. He had faced war at its worst and somehow survived. He asserted he couldn’t survive amputation. His body was saturated in agony. His heart was grateful, not bitter. His soul belonged to God’s peace, not Satan’s war.

The lady – she too arrived by wheelchair. Irritation flavored her disposition. Her chariot pusher sweetly refused her tip. The employee’s refusal came from a serving heart. The lady’s offering came from a pitying heart. In the employee’s eyes she was helping one in need. The lady’s eyes perceived an indentured servant who needed charity. Sadly, the lady felt boldly spurned instead of humbly served.

It was a three-hour flight with my thoughts revisiting the Beatitudes and how Christ spoke them in 33 A.D., but our lives re-write them in 2025.

33 A.D. on the Mount of Beatitudes – “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8 (ESV)

8/25/25 in a USA airport – And God will be seen in them….

Whenever I am thrown off timing for my daily walk, I’ve come to anticipate God’s maneuvering me to be at an inspirational destination at the perfect moment. So it was this past Thursday.

The week the school year started, and the neighborhood scholars were back in clusters waiting for their orange chariot escort to the hallways of learning. My being later than normal, the middle schoolers and my pathways intersected.

The young hearts I observed were joy-filled, kind and polite — not the image portrayed by much of the media. My faith in, and hope for, the future was enthusiastically renewed as I passed each pack of bright, emboldened eyes.

Rounding the bend for what would be my last group, I realized they bringing renewed faith to me should be but half the equation. These young people need assurance too. I stopped and shared.

My words expressed: School nowadays seems backwards. Teachers are considered the intelligent, whose job is to make students knowledgeable; but actually students, standing on this very corner hold the seeds of wisdom the whole world desperately needs. Teachers are worn and disillusioned. The “today” happiness and “tomorrow” dreams shining in your hearts are powerful, God given (and driven) tools that can change downtrodden teachers into uplifted mentors. When you enter your classrooms today do so knowing the lessons needing to be taught will be yours to teach. Not a teacher in this world holds the answers tomorrow requires. Solely, your hearts and souls hold the key to unlock and open the windows of light and enlightenment our world so deeply needs. So good luck and God’s love as you show the world how wise, capable and inspirational each and every one of you are. Thank you for blessing my day and my life.

Their sweet thank You’s hovered over me as I continued my walk, knowing that tomorrow’s footprint is safely held by the middle schoolers crossing my path today. May we all reject Satan’s call to curse today’s media proclaiming evil youth. Instead, pray for God’s future generation who tomorrow can (and will) deliver headlines of “Good News”. “At that time Jesus said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children’.” Matthew 11:25 (NIV)