Author: A. Knight

A devotional writer, speaker, mission-trip-taker, difference-maker. All with my best friend and love of my life.
Missions

More Max!

A. Knight

He might LOOK innocent….but he’s not completely. I normally don’t have shoes out….but these were out by accident…he found them. I took it away…and put it back…he trotted in there and got it again. Trotted to the living room…I snapped his picture….and then put my shoe back up. He trotted right behind me, snatched it up and ran RIGHT back to the same spot and commenced his chew.

Yes, I have chew toys for the rascal. Yes, I have now put my shoes away. No, I didn’t spank him. No, he’s never left in a room alone. (I was born, but not yesterday!)

He thought we were playing a game…he is learning to fetch…and he is VERY good! He’s just not keen on releasing it yet.

Susan wanted more pictures of him…how’s this Susan??? Will it do for now???

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Reflection

Book Quote

A. Knight


I knew as soon as I read this in the book I bought this week, I’d be sharing it.

During lunch at one of my favorite haunts, Barnes & Noble, I came across a book on the works of Henri Nouwen, “Spiritual Direction: Wisdom for the Long Walk of Faith.”

I am quoting from the book. “The spiritual life rests on a paradox, says Henri: “Without solitude, it is virtually impossible to live the spiritual life.” Yet we cannot live our spiritual lives alone. Although we need solitude to know God, we require a faithful community to hold us accountable. We need to learn how to listen to the word of God, ever present within our hearts. We need disciplines of study and spiritual practice to discern the word of God in words of scripture. We need a church or faith community that provides opportunities for worshiping and sharing, engaging in mutual correction and bearing of burdens, confessing faults, offering forgiveness, and celebrating life. We also need guides: spiritual friends, a spiritual director, or a spiritual accountability group that can function for us as a safe place to bear our souls.” [i]

I will tell you first off—I am not preaching to anyone. But I will share with you what hit me square in the nose and a bit of my own experiences.

We have always been a church going family. I was raised in church—Jeff was as well. We raised our girls in the same manner. If the church doors are open, we are there. However, there was one time in our lives, when faced with some harsh realities of life, we neglected that bond of close relationships. Very few were allowed into our world of heartache. I feel like I mostly carried the burden of that trauma or drama alone. This was completely my own choosing. I know without doubt, there were many sisters in Christ who would have gladly stood by me in whatever ordeal I was facing and prayed me right through. But I chose to seperate myself from my church family. I chose the hard road. I created an even harder battle for myself through this decision.

I allowed the enemy to taunt me with the lie that I was the “only” one that had faced the crisis of a rebellious teenager–that it was somehow my own fault–that ‘everyone’ was talking about it even! In the small community where we lived, we were blessed to have the awesome church and church family—they were and are beyond what you could imagine.

I had the godly counsel of one particular woman, Bobbi Seddon. She and her husband, George took it upon themselves to pray daily for our prodigal daughter. She asked for a picture of our child and they prayed over this picture every single morning at 5:00 a.m. Bobbi loved me back into the fold. When we missed church, she would call. It’s not that we layed out every Sunday, but we missed enough that it was felt in my own spirit. Church was exactly what we needed.

Solitude is needed as well. The right kind.

The right kind is patterned after Jesus’ life. A specific choosing of time to get away with the Father. A time of prayer. And, if you feel directed, a time of fasting. A time of study in the Word, and a time of seeking the Author of the Word. Solitude just for the sake of “getting away to shop” is not the directive here. If the enemy has his way, any solitude you have will be eaten up in a pity party of your current circumstances. He’ll even bring the chips…and you will eat so much of his rotten lies that you will be sick. I know. I’ve carried the belly-ache of his lies myself.

In every crisis I have faced, God has carried me through. He has never failed. He has planted my feet in a firm place–and gave me peace–even in the most torrential storm of my life.

I ask you today—are you having true solitude with HIM? Are you neglecting your walk with others in Christ? You are the only one who can change that. Sister, I don’t know what you face–but I have seen many things, and know others who’ve seen many more. God doesn’t fail. Ever. Take Him your marriage that’s failing, your child that’s runaway. your job that’s ending, your health that’s declining, your finances that are shrinking, or your loved one that is dying. Take Him the hardest task of your life and give it up to Him.

Don’t offer Him suggestions as to how it would work best for you…for He alone knows what is best.

Accept the deal He offers.

Accept Him at His word.

His word brings peace. Life. Hope. Eternity.

Make a start this Sunday. A perfect way to spend the day we celebrate as Easter. The day He arose from the tomb! No longer dead–but Alive! Start now! Get in a good church–find someone to talk to before you leave–tell them your name. Ask them theirs! And keep going back. Everytime.

Get alone with Him. Daily. And when it’s possible, take a whole day and spend “with” Him–in His word—talking, praising, singing, worshiping Him. It will radically change your life!

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[i] His writings were compiled by Michael J. Christensen and Rebecca J. Laird and published by HarperOne, a division of Harper Collins Publishing.

Art work found at Art.com

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Missions

Children are an inheritance from the LORD

A. Knight

Craziest notion that I had when we were “raising our girls”…was that one day we’d be done. Well, I had that notion…maybe ‘ole Jeff was smarter. It started out before they could talk.

“I wish you could just please tell me what you are crying for.”

Then years later, “For Pete’s sake…would you PLEASE stop telling me that! I’ve heard “I want” until I’m blue in the face!”

Well, maybe you had perfect kids. We, on the other hand, did not. They made mistakes. Just like Jeff and I did.

But I will tell you this truth. Our children are and have always been, even through the heartache, the ultimate blessing from God. Although there were times I thought I was cursed…I knew in my heart they were here for us to love—and to teach us life. And about God’s love for us.—Through them, I learned MUCH about God’s love and forgiveness.

And even having gone through the heartaches that the teen years brought, to have the girls we have—and the terrific grandkids we are blessed with….I’d do it all again. (Hopefully, I’d be a lot smarter though.)

What have your children taught you?

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Devotion, Life, Reflection

Where are You Headed?

A. Knight

I had to make a run to Dothan, Alabama, on Saturday morning.

All because I had forgotten to pick up my prescription before I left on Friday. Yeah, that’s what happens these days…not only do I have to TAKE cholesterol medication—but I FORGOT to pick it up from the pharmacy! (I don’t know if it’s the “age thing”…or the stress thing….maybe it’s both!)

Anway, I was fighting the traffic the 40+ miles back home and almost EveRy VeHiCle that passed me said PC Bound—or Panama City BEACH—or some other such celebration of Spring Break! All of them seeking the sunshine and sands of our beautiful Florida Beaches! All of them from the northern area of these great United States! You heard me right when I said, “passed me”, because I KNEW the Florida Highway Patrol were bright-eyed and bushy-tailed! So I was driving as Jeremiah Castleberry accuses me of….”like a grandma”—going the limit of 65—and maybe almost 70.

As several Indianna tags passed me with the words printed on their back windsheilds, PC Bound, I thought to myself, what if I drove around with the words “Heaven Bound” printed on my back windsheild! That’s where I’m headed.

But I admit, sometimes the day-to-day sometimes causes us to forget where we are headed, our final destination —I am fully aware that this is temperary. Fleeting.

I want to share with you some glorious reading found in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 and 2 Corinthains 5:1-14 The Message —BibleGateway (emphasis mine).

(16-18) “So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow.
But the things we can’t see now will last forever.”

(1-5) “For instance, we know that when these bodies of ours are taken down like tents and folded away, they will be replaced by resurrection bodies in heaven—God-made, not handmade—and we’ll never have to relocate our “tents” again. Sometimes we can hardly wait to move—and so we cry out in frustration. Compared to what’s coming, living conditions around here seem like a stopover in an unfurnished shack, and we’re tired of it! We’ve been given a glimpse of the real thing, our true home, our resurrection bodies! The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what’s ahead. He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we’ll never settle for less.”

(6-8) “That’s why we live with such good cheer. You won’t see us drooping our heads or dragging our feet! Cramped conditions here don’t get us down. They only remind us of the spacious living conditions ahead. It’s what we trust in but don’t yet see that keeps us going. Do you suppose a few ruts in the road or rocks in the path are going to stop us? When the time comes, we’ll be plenty ready to exchange exile for homecoming.”

(9-10) “But neither exile nor homecoming is the main thing. Cheerfully pleasing God is the main thing, and that’s what we aim to do, regardless of our conditions. Sooner or later we’ll all have to face God, regardless of our conditions. We will appear before Christ and take what’s coming to us as a result of our actions, either good or bad.”

(11-14) “That keeps us vigilant, you can be sure. It’s no light thing to know that we’ll all one day stand in that place of Judgment. That’s why we work urgently with everyone we meet to get them ready to face God. God alone knows how well we do this, but I hope you realize how much and deeply we care. We’re not saying this to make ourselves look good to you. We just thought it would make you feel good, proud even, that we’re on your side and not just nice to your face as so many people are. If I acted crazy, I did it for God; if I acted overly serious, I did it for you. Christ’s love has moved me to such extremes. His love has the first and last word in everything we do.”

I’m heaven bound…where the beaches by the River of Life will certainly be more magnificent than the “Panama City Beaches!” Nothing can compare!

By the way…I made these today. With white almond bark…mmmmm….

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Scripture references taken from Bible Gateway; The Message

faith

You are NOT alone

A. Knight

No matter what you think. You are not alone. Christ Jesus is EVER with us. You. AND me.

“Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love?

Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death? (Even the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love.

Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t, and the demons can’t.

Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away.

Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 35-39 NLT

Click and listen as one of my favorite female Christian artists shares a message for us today!

Have a blessed Sunday!

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faith, Reflection, Wanda

Passing of the Prayer Journal

A. Knight

With much nudging from my heart—I am re-posting something I had written after Thanksgiving last year for the Cafe`.

Hope [it] feeds your soul.

This week has been bittersweet. Our first Thanksgiving has come and gone without my sister, Wanda. She is with the Master—basking in His divine love and care! Happy and whole.

On Monday night of this week, Aimee, mother and I met with Mark at his house to, once again go through some of Wanda’s things. He had asked us to go through her books and pick out what was special to us. Well, of course, all of them were! He gave us carte blanche.

Among the books was a prayer journal. I have to tell you that night when I arrived back home, I sat for more than an hour, just reading. Meditating on what she had received from the Word, and marveling at the spiritual growth I saw in her life. And, of course I cried a bit. Especially on her entry for January 7, 2006. Please allow me to share it with you.

Philippians 1:21 “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

Can we say of our lives we live wholly for Christ as the apostle Paul did? “For me to live is Christ”…Yet, this alone is the love life of a Christian–it’s source, it’s sustenance, it’s fashion, it’s end. All gathered up in two words—Christ Jesus.

For me to live is Christ. Lord, burn that in my heart and mind. Lord, accept me; I here present myself, praying to live only in Thee and to Thee. Let me be as the bullock that stands between the plow and the altar, to work or to be sacrificed; and let my motto be, “ready for either.”

From the prayer journal of Wanda Jakelsky.

She lived that motto. I can testify to that. She worked with a willing heart and devoted spirit—and with just that same devotion, she left this life with her hand neatly clasping His. Her release of the mortal shell that bound her with sickness came with much praise from our aching hearts. As we stood around her bed, and the line on the heart monitor became straight, I felt her take her gentle leave. As a conductor holds his arm for the musicians to reach the highest note, I felt her spirit soar up off the bed and into His waiting arms. And His love held her secure. And His love comforted our pain.

I can tell you with complete certainty—there is no pain in this life, that Jesus Christ cannot see you through.

The complete total desire of our hearts in this coming year—for the remaining days of our lives should be just that. Use us Father for Your glory. For Your work. In whatever manner You chose. Your ways are best. Much higher are Your plans than ours. May the desire of Your heart become the desires of our hearts. May we too be like the young bullock—ready for whatever service You chose.

Points to ponder~

Start a prayer journal if you never have. Write it out in your own hand. Your handwritten thoughts will mean much to those who follow in your footsteps.

Take some time these next few weeks and list out some things that you feel are hindering a closer relationship with Christ Jesus.

Also, call by name some areas where you want to see growth in your relationship with Christ.

Lastly, give the passion of your heart it’s name and place in the front of your own prayer journal. Seek His will and direction in that calling of your heart.

Then stand by and watch what HE gloriously does in your life! And keep us posted!

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Hope you didn’t mind reading it again. It poured more concrete in my resolute stand.

As a prayer request from our extended family, a young niece on my husband’s side of the family, passed away during the night. Please be in prayer for the Ford family. I believe with all my heart she was met at the gates by her granddad Tom Ford. A man of huge faith.

God be with this dear family.

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