Confidence Archives - Carmen Horne

There was a fire in our neighborhood yesterday. Across the street from us. Across. The. Street. I never heard the siren. I met one of my other neighbors at the garbage can by the curb last night at about 10 pm and she told me the story. The house was not burned but it did destroy their back yard. The only thing I could think to say besides how sorry I was (the fire burned some of their back yard things too) was please don’t assign me the chairmanship of the neighborhood watch.

How could I have missed the sound of the siren? That troubled me. I faintly remember the noise of a big truck but I thought it was probably someone receiving a delivery.

I have a couple of ~~excuses~~ reasons. Did I tell you I am writing a book? If I have not, I can’t imagine why I have kept that to myself. I need your prayers. Lots of them. You will not waste one prayer on me. Writing a book is all kinds of exciting and more kinds of scary. Yesterday I put myself on a publishing calendar and that includes deadlines. Oh, me and deadlines. I like the security of guidelines but when the word deadline gets added in, I start to get anxious. I’m all about peace and harmony and deadlines don’t bring peace and harmony. To me, deadlines bring stress and the expectations I might disappoint someone. Then, they wouldn’t be happy. I’m a pleaser by nature. If you know anything about Enneagrams, I’m a 9w1. I want everyone to be happy!

Another reason could be that the book I’m writing requires me to think back on times I have experienced hurt and pain. It’s good to allow God to use our pain to comfort another. Paul brings it up in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. (MSG)

How do you feel about using your hard times to help others?

Do you struggle with the urge to want to never think about those times again? If you do, you are not alone.

Today I’m looking at the last picture I made of my Mom – Easter 2018. She had attended church for the first time since her surgery. She was so excited to see our new church building and her smile is big. About a month and a half later, she was with her heavenly Father. My word. Sometimes my mind thinks, what nonsense is that! Yesterday, I sat with my feelings about a difficult time in our marriage.

I want to encourage you and me. We are still here! We have been through some tough stuff and we are making it. And, the longer we walk this thing out with God the more victorious we are. You might think, “I don’t feel victorious.” But, you are. Every little victory counts. “The one who loves us gives us an overwhelming victory in all these difficulties.” Romans 8:37 GW

Along with those few sad feelings I had yesterday, I was reminded of God’s grace and mercy. He is so compassionate to us. For every bad thing that has happened to me, I can think of many ways He was and is so merciful. Let me leave you with this today,

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3: 22-23 ESV

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,” Hebrews 12:1 ESV

This verse is preceded with what is often called “faith’s hall of fame” in chapter 11. The roll call of those mighty men and women of God who are now cheering us on as we run our race. If all of these heroes are in my cloud of witnesses, why couldn’t my loved ones that have gone before me be there as well?

“Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins.” MSG

Did you get that? Literally, my Mom and Dad, my grandparents, my father-in-law, other relatives, and dear friends could be cheering me on. Why not?

It reminds me of sitting at a ballgame. My team is tired and discouraged. Maybe they have made some mistakes that have cost them ground. The competition is intense. Bruised and sore they might feel as if they have disappointed their people.

What do I do? What do all those in the crowd do? We cheer. We cheer loud. If that player on the sidelines turns around and throws his hand up, we cheer louder. Our team needs to know that we are behind them. We love them. We infuse them with a bit of courage. Not only with courage but with the confidence that we are on their side. They have people and their people are there.

Every good play, we say “Do it again!” Every mistake we say, ” Shake it off. You will get it right next time!” Y’all, can we imagine our cloud, our crowd, our cheerleaders are doing the same for us? The revelation of this from the Holy Spirit to my spirit makes my heart smile. It makes me want to run hard and try my best.

It also makes me want to cry ’cause I miss my Mom, makes me smile ’cause that girl (Mom) who was my biggest cheerleader is still at it, and it makes me excited because my father-in-law, a writer himself, is cheering me on as I write.

Who would be in your cheering section? How does it make you feel to think that there is a delightful possibility that those you love and miss are still your biggest fans?

There are so many aspects of our spiritual lives where no details are given. I’m more curious these days. Looking a little deeper at life and the Bible also means that I’m trying harder to listen and hear God speaking to my heart. I know He speaks. I’m pretty sure the disconnect is on our end. Jesus said in Matthew 11:15 to listen up. I like the sound of it in the CEV, “If you have ears, pay attention!”

Lord, we trust You to speak to our hearts and reveal mysteries, in due time, that are hidden. We thank You for the assurance that our cloud of witnesses is cheering us on to run our race; the race you have set before us. Our personal path is full of possibility. We love you, too! In our dear Savior’s name, Jesus, Amen.

Linking up with Debbie Kitterman, Dare 2 Hear, today!

You are More Victorious Than You Feel

How do you feel about using your hard times to help others?

Who is in Your Cloud of Witnesses?