Sunlight, Moonlight

 

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Photo by Michael Clarke Stuff 2012

In April of this year, a total solar eclipse will be visible from many parts of the US, Mexico, and Canada. As this and other "signs in the sky" herald Christ's imminent return, it is a good reminder for Christians to reflect His light in all we say and do. May you enjoy this repost from the archives.

About 18 months ago my husband Richard and I were featured performers at the Coliseum, the beautiful ballroom in St. Petersburg, Florida, in which the dance scenes in the movie “Cocoon” were filmed. Because of a scheduling mixup, we arrived at the venue about two hours earlier than we needed to be there. After we had admired the recent renovations and dramatic new lighting, chatted with the event organizers, laid out our costumes and props, warmed up, and prayed, I grew restless and impatient to perform. Patience is not one of my virtues!

I found myself wondering, “God, why did you bring us here so early? Surely I could have put this time to better use working on my medical writing assignments, paying bills, or preparing next week’s blog or Sunday school lesson. We know that the time is short, and you don’t want us to waste it!”

Just then I recognized a song playing over the loudspeaker as patrons took the floor for general dancing. I hadn’t heard it for years -- it was an instrumental version of “Sun and Moon,” from the musical “Miss Saigon.” I felt God gently prompting me, “This is why you are here early. Write Christian lyrics to this song, and choreograph to it for your next dance ministry piece.”

Humbled and ashamed that I had doubted Him, I quickly answered in my heart, “Yes, Lord.” My mind began to drift to possible lyrics, theme and choreography, when I felt His firm suggestion: “One more thing – use a hoop.”

“A hoop??? You mean a hoop skirt?”

“No, a hoop.” This final thought was so emphatic that I could not dare to disagree, only to ponder how a hoop could possibly be incorporated into a dance by two people doing lifts that are challenging enough on their own, let alone while trying to balance a hoop or pass it back and forth.

I told Richard and he just laughed – nervously, though, for he knew from experience that I would not be easily dissuaded.

With much prayer, trial and error, a few minor injuries, and many bruises and scrapes, the new dance began to take shape, hoop and all, by God’s grace and Holy Spirit inspiration. The theme would be that Jesus Christ is the Light of Heaven, reflecting His light on the believer, who in turn radiates it to the world. To express this theme, the dance would use the symbolism of the sun being the source of light on this planet, and the moon passively reflecting the sun’s rays to illuminate the earth during the darkness of night (Genesis 1:3-5; 14-18).

God is Light, and in Him is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). He saved us by His grace (Ephesians 2:8-9) through our faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6), freeing us from the darkness of our sins (Jeremiah 13:16) to the holy light of His perfect righteousness (Isaiah 50:10; John 3:21; Acts 26:18).

Once we are clothed in His holiness (Job 29:14; Psalm 132:9; Isaiah 61:10), His light can reflect from Him to us, radiating from us so that others can see Him through us. He is the Light of the world (John 1:9; 8:12; 9:5; 11:9; 12:46), and by this process, we are also the light of the world (Matthew 5:14; Philippians 2:15), reflecting His love, truth and holiness to the lost, dark world (John 3:19).

We have no source of light on our own merits, for our self-righteousness is like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). Rather, we are like an empty vessel or unlit candle (Psalm 18:28) through which His light can burn brightly and illuminate others with His truth (2 Corinthians 4:4-6). If we cease to revolve around Him, and block His light from reaching us because of sins and weights (Hebrews 12:1) that deflect His radiance, we can no longer light the world.

Based on the lyrics and choreography of our dance, the hoop, which in our first practices was a hula hoop, would at times represent the sun, the moon, the light, or the orbit of the moon around the sun. We soon realized it would be far more effective if we could use the hoop as a connection between us and to bear my weight in some of the lifts, rather than just gesturing with it or handing it back and forth.

But we learned quickly that a standard hula hoop is not strong enough for that (even reinforced with duct tape!) and that most sturdier hoops would be too heavy to carry in one outstretched arm.

In His faithfulness and foresight, God had prearranged the solution to these problems. It turned out that a specialty studio involved in hoop design was located right in our neighborhood – who knew?? Clearly God did! I also began weight lifting so that I could more gracefully handle the modified hoop, which weighs about seven pounds.

Despite my training since childhood as a ballet dancer, and our joint experience in ballroom and adagio dancing, neither of us had any acrobatic or gymnastic experience involving any type of apparatus. This is not the sort of experiment one ordinarily attempts for the first time at older ages! But God in His faithfulness (Psalm 89:8; 1 Corinthians 1:9) guided us through all of that as well. Since we have added this dance to our repertoire, I have often joked that now I want to run away and join the circus!

When God calls us to a particular assignment, we need not question our lack of ability, experience, or resources needed to complete the task, for if we obey, He will provide! (Philippians 4:19) He used Moses, a stammerer, to deliver eloquent oratory to Pharaoh to let God’s people go (Exodus 4:10-12). He used David, a shepherd boy who had never been to battle, to slay the giant Goliath (1 Samuel 17:39-50). He used Noah, whose preaching skills won no converts beyond his own family (Genesis 7:7), to repopulate the earth and his descendants to give rise to different races (Genesis 9:1, 18-19).

Joshua realized that age was no barrier when God promised him a great land even though He had just reminded him that he was “old and stricken in years” (Joshua 13:1). God answered Abraham and Sarah’s prayers for a child when they were both ancient, and after more than a two decade wait since He had first promised (Genesis 18:10-12) that their child would give rise to a great nation!

God does not look for our ability, but our availability to fulfill His perfect plan for our lives. May we listen for His still, small voice (1 Kings 19:12), quickly obey, and trust Him to equip us for His battle and make a way to complete His mission! May we be His light in the world until that day when neither sun nor moon are needed, for His glory alone (Isaiah 60:19; Revelation 21:23; 22:5) will illuminate the new heavens and new earth!

© 2016 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives

Birds On a Wire

 

Photo by Karunakar Rayker 2007

Not long ago, on our usual journey from home to our favorite beach, I spotted an eerie phenomenon – a group of birds apparently hovering in mid-air, motionless and all facing in the same direction. When we got closer, the mystery was solved – the birds were all perched on an electrical wire, which was not visible from further up the road.

Despite the high voltage passing through such wires, small birds can safely land there, provided their body does not touch ground, because their feet are so close together. The voltage drop, and hence current, between two points on a wire is proportional to the distance between the points, so electricity from the wire does not harm the birds.

On subsequent trips I noticed that the same, or at least a similar, flock occupied the same wire, which prompted me to read more about this behavior. The more I learned about it, the more parallels I saw between “birds of a feather flocking together” on a high wire and the need for Christians to be faithful members of a local church:

Hebrews 10: 24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Once we are saved by trusting in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6), we are to join a local church (Acts 2:47), where we can support one another, bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2), and encourage one another to do God’s work. This is even more important during the End Times, as Christ’s return draws near, because the urgency to bring souls to Christ before it is too late (John 9:4) demands that we work together (Luke 10:2).

Birds on a wire perch close to each other to reduce the danger of being attacked by predators, as there is safety in numbers. For Christians also, the Bible-based church provides protection from Satan’s traps (Ephesians 6:11-18), including false doctrine (1 Timothy 4:1), and a loving church family supports its members who are enduring trials through prayer and encouragement.

Birds that eat insects enjoy the height of an electrical wire to give them a better perspective, and hence feeding opportunities, as they can better view and then pursue their dinner, whether on the ground or flying by. Although Christians can and should read their own Bible daily to be fed from God’s Word (Matthew 6:11), the higher perspective of an experienced, Godly pastor or teacher expounding Scripture can feed us in the meat, and not only the milk, of God’s Word (1 Corinthians 3:2; Hebrews 5:12).

The environment of a high wire is free of foliage to obstruct or shadow the birds’ view of predators and prey, thus enhancing their survival. Similarly, going to a Bible-based church at the appointed times should provide an environment free of the distractions and preoccupations of our daily life in this evil world, enabling us to focus on God’s Word and will from a higher perspective.

Birds nesting in trees are difficult to see, but those on an elevated wire are visible even from a distance. Jesus told His followers that we are the light of the world, shining like a great city on a hill for all to see (Matthew 5:14). The local church is one place where we can shine His reflected light, and it allows us to “recharge our batteries” so that we can burn more brightly even in this dark world.

Mark LaBarr, a wildlife biologist and conservation program manager with the National Audubon Society, describes birds clustering on a wire as a "pre-migratory get-together." The wire becomes a staging area, similar to an airport preboarding area, before the flock takes flight for warmer climates to help them survive the winter.

Or, for Christians, the local church is where we come together while awaiting the Rapture (1 Corinthians 15:51-54; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17), our final flight to meet Jesus Christ in the clouds and then on to Heaven, the most hospitable and welcoming destination where we will not only survive, but thrive, throughout all eternity!

Most birds on a wire face the same direction, into the wind, to avoid ruffling their feathers and to facilitate take-off and landing. (But of course, there are a few rebels in every crowd!) If we as Christians look in the same direction – to Christ, the Author and Finisher of our faith – He will smooth over any disputes among ourselves and make it easier to embark on the course He has appointed us (Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 9:24), and to rest according to His perfect timing and direction (Matthew 11:28).

On our most recent trip, many miles past the birds on a wire, I witnessed an amazing display of God’s direction over His avian creation. A swarm of small birds suddenly appeared over the eastern sky, swooping westward over the horizon, then a second swarm in the western sky flew toward the first swarm until both united in a circular pattern as all the birds traveled upward!

It reminded me of God’s grace in inviting “whosoever” trusts in His Son as Lord and Savior to live forever in Heaven (John 3:16), regardless of whether they are His chosen people of Israel or Gentiles who have been “grafted in” to His family tree by faith (Romans 11).

Like winged flocks, may we gather together in safety, sound doctrine and support, and nurture our fellow believers until Christ comes again! Look up (Luke 21:28), for our redemption is near!  

© 2024 Laurie Collett

Photo by John Holmes 2006

Healing in His Wings

 

Photo by Arturo Mann 2005

With so many in need of physical and spiritual healing, the Lord laid it on my heart to repost this from the archives. Sending healing prayers to all readers in need of a special touch from the Great Physician.

Almost as an afterthought, my husband and I decided to walk the beach again after our cleaning chores were done, shortly before sunset. I must admit I had come to the beach with a bad attitude, feeling discouraged about the slow progress in restoring my shoulder range of motion after a chronic injury, the pain involved in the mobilization process, and various other obstacles my husband and I were facing.

Our first beach walk that day, in the midafternoon, yielded uncharacteristically barren stretches of sand, devoid of the many shells, shark’s teeth, and even fossils we enjoy finding there. The sea was a murky brownish green and purple, rough and churning, and dark squalls loomed at the horizon.

But God had completely transformed the beach for our second stroll, and with it, my outlook! Each step we took seemed to unveil a new scene in His creation (Genesis 1,2), a magical wonderland delighting the senses. I have never seen the Aurora Borealis, and that is on my bucket list, but I shared with my husband that the light show God now provided must be even better than that!

At first I berated myself for not bringing the camera, then I realized that God’s perfect plan (Jeremiah 29:11; Psalm 128:8) was for me to simply soak in His beauty (Psalm 27:4), to experience the moment without fussing with camera settings or lighting, to just be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10).

A foggy haze along the horizon seemed to encompass the waters as if in a vast lagoon, now calm, tranquil and a misty shade of aqua. An incredible diorama stretched out in the sky, lit dramatically by the setting sun that highlighted each cloud formation with different hues of gold, russet, mauve, and rose. These colors reflected into the ocean, which now shimmered with soft light.

Initially I felt like I was looking up at the ceiling of a Renaissance cathedral, then I remembered that art mirrors nature, and not vice versa! The beauty surrounding me was as I imagine Heaven is like, and yet Scripture tells us that the eye cannot begin to imagine the incomparable beauty God is preparing for us in our eternal home (Isaiah 64:4; 1 Corinthians 2:9).

 

In the sky, the central scene at first included a figure like a menacing, dark gorilla on one side, shaking its fist at a brilliantly illuminated, silvery white cloud that looked like Jesus with arms stretched wide, draped in robes that took on the form of wings. Between these two central characters were many smaller figures resembling people of various shapes, sizes and ages, some turned toward the Christ figure and others toward the demonic presence.

As the sun set through the clouds, triangular beams of colored light shone through the sky as if refracted through prisms. Above the horizon, a massive circular cloud formation blazed in tones of gold and fiery orange, reminding me of the Shekinah Glory, the presence of God filling the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34) as the Israelites wandered through the wilderness in search of the Promised Land. Over it all, high in the sky, was a single silver cloud in the shape of outstretched angel’s wings.

Awestruck, I asked God to forgive my previous attitude of discouragement and ingratitude, and I thanked Him for revealing His peace, joy and beauty to us in such a unique and remarkable way. His handiwork in nature (Psalm 19:1) assured us that He is in control despite demonic struggles that would continue (Ephesians 6:12) because of the curse of sin (Romans 5:12) until He returns for His children (1 Thessalonians 4:17). If we yield to His Spirit, His glory will continue to illuminate the temple of our body (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) just as it filled the tabernacle and temple in Old Testament times.

Later that night I was reading from a book that I had downloaded on my Kindle, which just happened to be the next book on my list and not one I had selected for any particular reason. With God there are no coincidences (Psalm 139; Romans 8:28), so I was excited but not surprised that the reading dealt with the connection between spiritual and physical healing, and that the author used metaphors of wings and of beams of light, just as God had shown us!

The author referenced Malachi 4:2: But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

What a perfect passage to encapsulate our experience on the beach and the imagery God, Who is light (1 John 1:5), unveiled to us! All who reverence the Name of Jesus, the Source of all light and perfect holiness, can experience the healing He shines forth like rays of the sun. Then we can be healthy, vital, and powerful, for He cares for us, heals and protects us.

I had often wondered why Jesus, in His earthly ministry, never experienced sickness of any kind, even though He felt pain, fatigue, betrayal, and thirst (Mark 4:38; Matthew 25:35; John 19:28; Hebrews 4:15). I now understand that His body could not be subject to sickness because His Spirit is free from sin. Illness is part of the curse of sin, even though our specific infirmities may not be the direct result of our own sin or even of the sin of another.

When the disciples asked Jesus whether a man was blind because of his own sin or because of the sin of his parents, He replied that it was neither, but rather for the glory of God, as He would heal him (John 9). When we experience physical limitations or illness, it is an opportunity for us to yield to the healing power of Jesus in our spirit, which may in turn allow healing in our body.

In some cases, however, He may allow the thorn in our flesh to persist, for His grace is sufficient, and His strength is made perfect in our weakness. The apostle Paul was therefore able to glory in his infirmities, knowing that God would get the glory from Paul’s completed mission despite earthly obstacles that are no match for God’s infinite power (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

God promises spiritual healing (Mark 2:17), forgiveness of sins (1 John 1:9), and eternal life (John 3:16) to all who place their trust in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6). Praise God for that promise, and for physical healing or for His grace to carry on despite our human frailty, until He brings us home in our glorified bodies! 

© 2018 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives

Too Much, but Not Too Late

 

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Photo by Deavmi 2015

I dreamed that I was racing through an airport to catch a plane to a very important destination. They had announced the final boarding call, and I was afraid I would miss the flight. Finally I made it through the boarding gate just in time, as the cabin doors closed just moments after I boarded.

I jostled against those still standing in the aisles and spotted my son, who was already seated but still had an empty spot next to him. Once I got there I realized there was no space in the overhead bin for my tote bag, nor would it fit under the seat in front of me. To my son’s dismay, and that of the flight attendants, I reached up into the space over the seat housing the oxygen masks and tried to shove them aside to make room for my bag!

As I awoke and considered the meaning of the dream, I realized it was another metaphor for being saved late in life. My son, who in the dream had boarded the plane in plenty of time, was saved when he was 10 years old. So Lord willing, he has plenty of time ahead of him to serve the Lord, assuming a normal lifespan, although none of us is promised tomorrow (1 Peter 1:23-25; James 4:14).

I was saved a few months before my son, yet further along in the course of life. It has now been 24 years, praise the Lord, yet the time has flown by so quickly, and my biggest fear is going home before I have completed the mission He set out for me since before the beginning of time (Romans 8:29-30; Ephesians 1:5,11). If only we could perfectly follow the example of Jesus, Who finished the work His Father gave Him to do! (John 4:34; 17:4).

Whether we are saved early or late in life makes no difference to our ultimate destination. Even the repentant thief on the cross, who had no time to be baptized, to join a church, or to do any good works, was assured by Christ that he would be with Him in Paradise that very day (Luke 23:39-43). Once we trust in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way (John 14:6) to Heaven, our eternal destiny with Him is forever secure (John 10:28-29).

But the rewards He will give us at His judgment seat are based on the works we do for Him once we are saved, provided we do them with the right motive (1 Corinthians 3:10-15). Each passing day may represent a soul nurtured and brought closer to Christ, or a missed opportunity to keep the Divine appointment He had planned for us (Psalm 118:24). So time does matter, as does our heart to follow Him (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Sometimes overt sins get us off course, or snares of the devil (1 Peter 5:8; 1 Timothy 3:7), but often it is our own wrong choices, being burdened by weights that hinder us from running the race (1 Corinthians 9:24; Hebrews 12:1). The oxygen masks in the dream may represent our communication with God through His Holy Spirit Who inspires us (Galatians 5:16-25), giving us the breath of life each day to fulfill His perfect plan. Yet so often we choke that lifeline by putting other things first (Ephesians 4:30; 1 Thessalonians 5:19), instead of giving Him the preeminence (Matthew 6:33; Colossians 1:18).

In the dream, how foolish it was to try to cram my earthly possessions into a space reserved for the vital task of saving my life, and that of other passengers. Jesus warned us not to be weighed down by treasures on earth, but instead to store up treasures in Heaven, where they will last forever (Matthew 6:19-21). We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out (1 Timothy 6:7-11).

Those who are preoccupied with earthly cares, like the young rich ruler, or the fool building bigger and better barns while ignoring the fate of his own soul, may find it more difficult to enter Heaven than a camel finds it to pass through the eye of a needle (Luke 18:18-25; 12:16-21).

So praise God, I am not too late for salvation, which gives me eternal life in Heaven with Jesus Christ and with my loved ones who have trusted Him as Lord and Savior. And I am thankful for each day He gives me to praise, worship and serve Him. But my daily prayer is to let Him be Lord of my life, First in my heart, unfettered by idols (1 John 5:21) or daily preoccupations, which is His rightful place!

© 2017 Laurie Collett

Empty Boxes

 

Photo by Mike Goren 2006

I recently dreamed that my husband and I were hosting a children’s party at our ballroom. The theme was a treasure hunt in which each child would choose among different wrapped boxes until they found one containing a valuable present, which they could keep.

We wrap empty shoeboxes in red, blue, green or yellow kraft paper and put individual gifts in boxes that are wrapped similarly, except that each of these is decorated with a pleated, semicircular paper fan, white with colorful embellishments. The centerpiece for each table is an assortment of these boxes – some empty, some containing treasure.

Once the party begins, we’re surprised that most children choose the undecorated boxes, even after they see other children find a present in the decorated boxes. We are even more shocked and disappointed that some children who unwrap a box containing a present don’t like it and refuse to keep it, even throwing a temper tantrum and lashing out at us for not giving them something better.

As I awoke and contemplated the meaning of the dream, I considered that God offers each of us the most valuable gift of all – eternal life by trusting in the death, burial and resurrection of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6).

That “unspeakable,” or unimaginably precious, gift (2 Corinthians 9:15) is freely available to anyone who accepts it (John 3:16; Acts 2:21; Romans 10:13). We don’t deserve it and can’t earn it (Ephesians 2:7-9), for we are all sinners deserving eternal punishment in hell, separated by our sins from holy, righteous God (Romans 3:23). Yet God through His grace offers us forgiveness of our sins through the shed blood of Jesus Christ (Romans 3:25), the perfect Lamb of God Who died in our place to pay our sin debt (John 1:29).

God created each of us to desire that gift. All seek happiness and peace, yet so many fail to find it because they look in all the wrong places – wealth, power, prestige, human relationships, and even substance abuse.

In the dream, all the children were eager to look for the treasure, but many chose the empty boxes, ignoring the obvious clue of the wrapping, even when they witnessed other children finding treasure only in the decorated boxes, and not in the plain boxes. The pleated fan identifying the filled boxes was like an angel’s wing, or like the fan in the hand of Christ as He judges those who accept or reject Him (Matthew 3:12; Luke 3:17). The fan was white, symbolizing Christ’s purity, yet adorned with brilliant colors reflecting His multiple attributes and rainbow-lit throne (Revelation 4:3).

It was not a subtle clue, just as God’s Word is clear, not covert, about how we can obtain eternal life. God is not the author of confusion, but of peace (1 Corinthians 14:33). He clearly states that we can find peace regarding our eternal destiny in Heaven only through His Son, the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6).

But sadly, many want to complicate that clear direction, and they distort and pervert the Gospel (Matthew 7:15) by claiming that there are many roads leading to Heaven, or that we can only get there if our good deeds outweigh the bad, or only if we are baptized, or circumcised, or perform other rituals. But God views these feeble attempts at salvation as “filthy rags” and a slap in the face to His Son’s completed work on the cross (Isaiah 64:6).

In the dream, we didn’t spell out that only the boxes decorated with fans contained treasure. But the children should have quickly learned that because they had seen different boxes opened and viewed their contents.

Once we are saved, we are a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), and our changed life should be a clear witness to others about how they too can be transformed from doomed sinner to Heaven-bound saint. But we should also tell people what Christ has done for us and be prepared to show them what God’s Word says about how they can find eternal life in Heaven (1 Peter 3:15).

We were even more disappointed in the dream that some of the children who found the treasure rejected it, or even lashed out at us because it was not what they wanted. God’s gift of salvation is freely offered, yet we must accept it to claim its benefits. Sadly, many who hear the Gospel dismiss it or even angrily attack those who present it, just as the Jews were so furious with Stephen for telling them the truth about Christ (and their having killed Him) that they gnashed at him with their teeth and stoned him to death (Acts 7)

May our changed lives in Christ be a clear road map to others about how they can find the treasure of eternal life! May we also be bold to clearly tell others the truth of how they can end their futile search for happiness in all the wrong places and find the true gift of eternal life in Christ alone!

© 2024 Laurie Collett

Looking Back

 

Regrets only clutter the mind and drain spiritual energy, for once we repent God forgives us and forgets our sins (Psalm 103:10-12). Resolutions seem to be a type of foolish vow that may be broken due to our own lack of discipline or an unanticipated turn in events (Deuteronomy 23:21-22; Judges 11:30-40). 

Resting in God is far better (Joshua 1:13; 1 Chronicles 23:25; Psalm 37:7), remembering His faithfulness (Deuteronomy 7:9; 1 Corinthians 1:9, 10:13) and realizing that He is infinitely good and infinitely great (Psalm 143:10, Matthew 19:17; 2 Samuel 7:22; 2 Chronicles 2:5; Nehemiah 1:5, 8:6, 9:32; Job 36:26; Psalm 77:13,86:10,95:3, etc.).

As the moments of 2023 dwindle away, I find myself reflecting on God’s blessings not only this year but throughout my life. Reviewing how God has prepared each of us for our own unique ministries helps us to appreciate how He not only equipped us with gifts and talents appropriate for His calling on our lives (Ephesians 2:10; Philippians 2:13), but that He engineered our trials and even our weaknesses for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28; 2 Corinthians 12:9).

When God uses a timid, stammering man like Moses to deliver His people (Exodus 4:1-13), a disobedient rebel like Jonah to spread revival that saved Nineveh, and even a Christian-persecuting Pharisee like Saul (1 Timothy 1:12-15) to write most of the New Testament, He gets the glory. He operates in the supernatural, and not in the limited plane of man’s abilities or expectations (Genesis 18:14; Jeremiah 32:27; Ephesians 3:20).

Looking back on how this blog came into being, I remember way back to high school when I dreaded the daily English class assignment of “Responses.” Every day, regardless of our mood or the press of other assignments, we had to write a brief essay, poem, or story that reflected our mood, thoughts or circumstances. That discipline, seemingly unneeded at the time, no doubt helped to generate a weekly blog post even when I am preoccupied with life’s distractions.

Decades later, and a few months after I was saved, my husband and I were flying to Japan to perform in dance shows. I was hoping to sleep on the long, crowded, flight, but God laid it on my heart to dig my laptop out of the overhead bin and to write about His omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence. I felt truly foolish as I started this task, thinking that I really knew very little on this subject; that I desperately needed the sleep as we would start rehearsing the day we arrived in Osaka; and that if I were going to write anything, I’d be much better off working on medical stories that were due once we returned home.

But I followed His lead and wrote about His attributes, the words springing to mind and leaping onto the computer screen with surprising speed and clarity. As soon as I had completed the essay, the battery died, and I settled into a peaceful sleep, knowing that I had been obedient in this assignment. Although I didn’t know it at the time, it would turn out to be a trial run for writing blog posts in the still distant future.

In our lives as amateur and then professional ballroom dance performers and competitors, God began preparing my husband Richard and me for our dance ministry long before we were saved. And the variety of beautiful songs we heard in our daily practice later helped inspire me to write Godly lyrics to these secular tunes.

But i might not have started writing song lyrics had it not been for our son Brendan, gifted in piano among his other God-given talents. Shortly after he was saved, he wanted to compete in a Christian musical competition by playing a Chopin prelude. But the rules were that any music played had to have Christian lyrics, so his youth pastor asked if I might be able to write words suitable for singing along with this piano accompaniment.

So I did, marking my debut in writing Christian lyrics, a passion of mine to this day. And when I provided a recording of my singing these words to my son's playing, his youth pastor asked if I could sing specials in church. So God worked these events together (Romans 8:28) for my good and His glory, opening the door for me leading to two new ministries!

One Sunday a few years after I was saved, I prayed my usual quick afternoon prayer to be Spirit-filled and yielded while singing in choir in the evening service. I sensed that God was saying, “Yes, but there is something else I want you to do.” So I prayed that He would reveal it to me, and literally moments later I bumped into the associate pastor in the hallway. He asked if I would consider teaching a weekly ladies’ Bible study class, as their teacher was moving out of town.

Despite my lack of formal Bible training, I agreed, after praying on it. I found that my knowledge and understanding of the Word grew far more quickly and in depth than it would have had I been only a student and not also a teacher (2 Timothy 3:14-17; 4:2). God was and is always faithful to lead me to Scripture verses, sermons, and other readings (including many of your blogs!) to encourage and guide me in teaching and in writing (Psalm 119:11,105).

But the class suffered many setbacks, including illness and trials of several members, and other circumstances resulting in their leaving the class. Some weeks I was teaching only one or two ladies. I became discouraged that the time and effort I was putting into my weekly lessons was reaching so few people and thought that a weekly blog of these lessons might be a way to reach more.

I knew nothing about blogging, but God had equipped me with computer skills needed for my occupation as a freelance medical journalist. As I began my blog on Memorial Day weekend in 2011, I wondered if anyone would read it. But God sent encouragement my way in a strange format – the movie “Julie and Julia,” in which the writer of a daily blog sees no activity or comments on her blog for six months, followed by an exponential and rapid growth in readership.

Looking back on all this, I am thankful for God’s provision, as the statistics, rankings, and followers continue to grow. But it’s not about the numbers, and if seeds planted in this blog lead even one soul closer to Christ, it would be well worth the effort. The blog has taken on a life of its own, covering topics independent of the Bible study class.

The greatest blessing is comments indicating that readers were blessed by the post. I am so thankful for each and every reader, and for the relationships with new and dear blogging friends all over the globe. I pray that God would continue to use me to spread His Word in this way. 

As time went on, my Bible study class again began to grow, not only in numbers but in fellowship with the ladies of all ages. I was thankful for this blessing, but God was leading my husband Richard and me to consider serving at another church. Sometimes God tests our obedience by leading us to a different ministry even when things are going well where we are,

The church we had been attending was about a 20 minute drive, yet every day we passed by another Baptist church just a few minutes away from our home. 

"I wonder if God might be calling us there instead," Richard mused one day. That Sunday our preacher used Acts 1:8 as his sermon text, stressing the importance of first witnessing and serving in Jerusalem -- metaphorically speaking, your own back yard. 

Richard and I sensed that this was a confirmation that we should explore our neighborhood church -- Fowler Ave. Baptist. We first visited on a Wednesday evening when no services were scheduled at our home church, and were blessed by meeting the Pastor, by discussing spiritual matters with him, and by his sermon with a clear exposition of God's Word. 

Shortly thereafter we visited Fowler Ave. on a Sunday morning, praying fervently that if it were God's will for us to serve there, that He would make it very clear to us. As we pulled into the parking lot, the Pastor was just getting out of his car, and he greeted us enthusiastically.

"I know you haven't decided yet whether we should be your church home," he said. "But if you did join, would you be interested in teaching a ladies' Bible study class?"

"Why, yes," I answered in surprise. "Do you by any chance also have any openings in your music ministry?"

"Would you like to sing a special today?" he offered.

As if these signs were not sufficiently clear, our jaws dropped as we entered the sanctuary for the first time (the Wednesday service we attended was held in the Fellowship Hall). There on the back wall of the sanctuary was a huge banner with the full text of Acts 1:8 !

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Could God be any clearer in His confirmation that it was His will for us to serve at Fowler Ave.? We joined a few weeks later, and I immediately started a ladies' Bible study. Praise God, this has grown over time, not only numerically but spiritually. It is such a blessing to teach a class of women so devoted to wanting to know God better, and His plan for their lives, and to supporting one another in fellowship and in prayer.

I am also blessed to have the opportunity to sing a special in most services, including the Christian lyrics I have written to secular music. Richard and I are both blessed to serve in several capacities and to know that we are fulfilling Acts 1:8, not only by witnessing and serving in our neighborhood, but even around the globe, as our church supports about sixty missionaries in foreign countries. Praise God for His direction and faithfulness!

But as 2024 approaches, may we not be preoccupied with the past, but instead live in God's will in the present moment and look forward to His unfolding plan for us. As the apostle Paul wrote:

Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

In closing the post and 2023, a New Year’s blessing to all of you:

Philippians 1:2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,

4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,

5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;

6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. 

© 2012 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives, edited and expanded 2023