God Loves You and So Do I

We encourage you to submit your own stories to chris@spiritofjoy.us.

It can be anonymous. Looking forward to seeing how God is working in all of our lives.

God Loves You and So Do I

Jeff Cook

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails.

1 Corinthians 13:4–8a

“For Better or Worse, For Richer or Poorer, In Sickness and Health to death do us part?” How many of us have either said those words or heard them at a wedding ceremony? These are in the vows we make to each other on the day that we start our journey we all know as, “Man and Wife.” 

Now, fast forward 25 years. You and your wife are sitting in a Pulmonologist’s office listening to the doctor describing a severe lung disease that your wife has, while you listen trying to hold your emotions in tack. All along you are asking God, “Why is this happening?” “What did we do wrong?” “What do we do now?”

This happened to Sandra and me in 2008. Sandra was diagnosed with Alpha 1 and Stage 5 Emphysema. The weeks and months ahead were going to be filled with doctors, treatments, high medical bills, costly prescriptions and even lung transplant referrals which we are in the middle of now. Along with this, Sandra’s health has brought her to the point of permanent disability. All this time I am still asking God “Why is this happening to us? What we did do wrong? What do we do now?” 

To sit here a tell you I can remember the day and time when I let all of this go and turned it all over to God, would be hard to do. I think little by little he took the burden from me with the help of a lot of prayer and the blessing of a support group, including a church family and friends that have been there for us during this journey. 

And each day I am reminded what unconditional love is all about. You see, when you think you are at the end of you rope, unconditional love steps in and keeps you going. This brings me to another verse I bet you also heard at the same wedding ceremony: 1 Corinthians 13:4–8a.

My friends, these verses are the verses I remember each time I begin to question why things happen the way they do sometimes. I believe this is the love he has for each of us. 

Power Praying Works!

We encourage you to submit your own stories to chris@spiritofjoy.us.

It can be anonymous. Looking forward to seeing how God is working in all of our lives.

Power Praying Works! 

by Pat Ware

But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, 

and it will be granted!

John 15:7

I’m in a prayer group that meets once a week. We begin by sharing some of what has gone on in our lives over the past week. I shared about a kind of strange day I had the day before. I’m one of those people that fall under what the Bible calls making a joyful noise to the Lord. A singer I am not. But all of sudden I am doing housework singing. Susan Weil pops up and says “That was me!” She told me that that day when she was praying she suddenly had the thought she should pray that I would have a day so full of joy I would have to sing! “God initiates, we respond.” Just think, we hadn’t even studied David Chotka’s book, Power Praying. But Susan listened to God’s urging, and I ended up with a day of joy. We both ended up knowing once more God hears our prayers little or big. He cares for us. 

Listen to that still small voice and you could be letting God work through your prayers. Who knows, you could be making someone’s day full of joy overflowing no matter what their circumstance.

Hope with Feathers

We encourage you to submit your own stories to chris@spiritofjoy.us.

It can be anonymous. Looking forward to seeing how God is working in all of our lives.

Hope with Feathers 

by Chris French Kramer

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; 

my hope comes from him.

Psalm 62:5

Hope is the thing with feathers

That perches in the soul,

And sings the tune without the words,

And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;

And sore must be the storm

That could abash the little bird

That kept so many warm.

I’ve heard it in the chillest land

And on the strangest sea;

Yet, never, in extremity,

It asked a crumb of me.

Emily Dickinson

Shortly after our son died in 2004, I called Scott at work and told him I was leaving and didn’t know when I would be back. The car was loaded, gas tank was filled and Otis, our dog, was comfy in the passenger seat. I started east from Colorado Springs to my family cabin in southeastern Missouri. My sanctuary. Filled with grief and armed with books about infant loss, journals to write in and thank you notes to write; my plan was to try to determine my new normal. 

Driving across Kansas in early spring leaves plenty of time to think. And pray. Reflect. And regret. Ever since I was a teen I knew that I would have trouble conceiving. But never in my dreams did I imagine being not-quite-a-mom. From the moment Scott told me in the recovery room that Luke was dead, I knew he was with God. I knew we would be ok. I knew we would be parents one day. But deep in the darkest corners of my heart, I didn’t quite believe what I knew. 

As I turned off the highway onto the gravel county road to the cabin, I could feel myself relaxing, my breathing changing. But the grief was still tightly wrapped around me. Walking into the cabin was walking into home. The smells of Granny lingered everywhere. Memories hid in every corner. 

Books covered the kitchen table while I researched, took notes and answered questions. Naps were taken every afternoon on the swing under two old trees. My sanctuary, the one place I always turn to when life is too much. Thousands of tears were shed. Daily walks on the gravel road echoed the hardness of my heart. And I cried out to God.

I was completely alone … physically, spiritually, emotionally. Then I saw him ... zooming through the woods, a streak of blue. And he perched at the top of the swing momentarily. My breath caught and my soul felt the tiniest bit of hope, a thing with feathers. 

A few months later we were all back at the cabin for Luke’s burial service. By now the numbness was wearing off. Colors were returning to life. I could almost sit through a worship service. Friends and family came from all over for the service. The day of the burial was sunny, hot and humid. After the service and lunch, I wandered back to the cemetery alone. Standing there by Luke’s grave I saw a flash of blue. A coincidence or a reassurance? 

Every visit to the cabin since, I have seen a bluebird. Eventually I realized they were a gift from God. A reminder that Lucas is safe with him and that I am not alone. But I only saw them at the cabin. 

A few years passed and life was crazy. There was always an element of numbness and grief in my heart. Two adoptions, three moves, major career change - all within 5 years. Christmas Day, 2009, I was standing in the kitchen at the cabin when a bluebird flew up to the picture window; and we just stared at each other until he flew away. Something started happening that day. 

The next many months were extremely rough. But when things seemed hopeless, a bluebird would appear. When I needed to know God was there - one would fly in front of my car. When the negative thoughts in my head were overwhelming and I was walking outside, I’d see a bluebird. Any time of year, several different states, God was there, all the time. Hope is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul.

Psalm 62:5 tells us, “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.” My hope is in God and it has been a long time coming. The only way I can say that I have hope is because of him. Bluebirds are just one small, visual way he shows me he cares. Even without those now, I don’t just know God is taking care of us. I believe. 

A Change of Heart

We encourage you to submit your own stories to chris@spiritofjoy.us.

It can be anonymous. Looking forward to seeing how God is working in all of our lives.

A Change of Heart 

by Anonymous

“Give thanks in all circumstances, 
for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 
1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV)

One day at a red light I pulled forward before it turned green, tailgating the pickup in front of me. I had been meditating on the Scripture that tells me to give thanks in all circumstances, so I obeyed. “Thank you, God, for allowing me to have this accident. I know you work everything together for the good of those who love you and are called according to your purpose, so I trust you—even in this.”

A miracle happened. I still had to negotiate with the driver of the other vehicle, get estimates for the repair of the damage, and pay up. But my attitude was different. I had a peaceful heart and a joyful spirit. God is sovereign and takes care of me—and the other guy, even though I don’t know how I’ll pay for the damages. Yes, somehow the bills got paid. But the main lesson to me was one of trust and obedience, and God changed my heart.