The Legacy of Love

"Teach the children well" Crosby, Stills & Nash

"The greatest legacy a father can leave his children is the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ." R. L. Wynn

More than money, and even land (although property is a great legacy, to be sure) - the greatest thing a father and mother can pass down to their children is a solid spiritual foundation in the Lord.

I bless the Lord for my parents, who introduced the Lord into my life when I was an infant, and nurtured me in the Word of God throughout my formal education years and on into college. That training from my childhood provided me with a mindset - a spiritual underpinning if you will. And no matter where I went or what I did, my home training was never far from me. Oh yes, I tried some things that were in direct opposition to what I'd been taught. I've made some HUGE mistakes and suffered the consequences. No matter the choices I made, or the places those choices took me, there was a voice of godly reason and instruction that kept me clear of utter destruction! "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6. Bless the Lord, His Word is true! 

As a parent, my humanness, my frailties - all of me, has been exposed to my children. There is no hiding from those who've lived in your home from childhood. However, what I desire for my now adult children is that they continue to carry with them the truths and the faith we learned and embraced together as a family unit. In our family Bible study ministry, the Word of God opened all of our eyes, and took us beyond the confines of traditional religious thinking and worshipping. The Lord became real, and the practical application of His Word in our everyday lives was paramount. It is paramount.

The death of Bro. Wynn - the spiritual leader of our home and yea, our Bible study and music ministries - could have been the end of us. But God! Bro. Wynn left copious notes, sermons, and writings of encouragement. By the grace and power of God, I will compile these writings and give them to our children...that they may give them to their children. Until the Day of our Lord.

Amen

Having A Real Relationship With God Is Everything

O taste and see that the Lord is good!

 Psalm 34:8 (KJV) 

In our human interactions, when we have chosen someone of interest with whom we want to develop a closer relationship, we begin the exciting process of getting to know all we can about them. Indeed, we "study" their moves, attitudes, likes and dislikes - and we begin to behave in a manner that we know is pleasing to them. We do these kind and attentive things to show ourselves in a favorable light, so that this special person will accept and choose us.

With God, the process is different because we don't choose Him first. It is after we learn/hear that He loves us, and loved us FIRST, that our hearts begin to turn toward Him; the godly seed is planted. The Bible tells us everything we need to know about the character of God. And when we study His moves, attitudes, likes and dislikes, the godly seed is watered. A transformation begins to takes place, and day by day our desire to live to please Him grows. Through prayer and study of His Word, our one-on-one with God is strengthened and beyond exciting!

Bible reference: Psalm 34 TLB (The Living Bible)

Having A Real Relationship With God Is Everything

Boaz Ministries

In all honesty, absent of the strong testimony/witness of someone close to us, there are few things one can do to persuade someone else about the realness of God. For to know God, is to experience Him in your life. The beautiful thing about an experience with God, is that when we have an encounter with Him, it cannot be tossed aside as a coincidence, or “luck”, or any such frivolous explanation. God defies what is known as “common sense,” and He dwells outside of time – so when He moves in our lives, He does so in such a way that no one else can take the credit.


A wise man once told me, “When you don’t feel like God is real, or when you have given up on 'the God-thing' – that’s the time to pray in earnest for the Holy Spirit to take over, and turn your ‘feelings’ into faith.” Yes, the beginning of a real relationship with the Lord God Almighty starts with prayer, and is sustained by prayer. He is always present, but comes into our conscious lives only by invitation. And we must be real with Him- pray for our hearts to be softened, and our eyes and minds to be opened to what the Spirit will impart to us. It will become an ongoing conversation that may seem to start off one-way. But little by little, and day by day, as we continue to converse with the Lord, He will reveal Himself. It’s not scary, there’s no hocus pocus, trickery or magic - but the journey WILL be awesome!


The following is a passage of Scripture that describes the beauty and benefits of knowing God. As with every Bible reference, we encourage readers to always read the entire chapter for context, clarity and a more complete understanding (and the whole book, too!).


Blessings!


Proverbs 2: 1-10 Amplified Bible

A Story With A Message

This morning, while studying the Scriptures on the many attributes of God; searching my Bible commentary resources, preparing for the thoughts we will share on Boaz Ministries, I came across a story. It was published by an online ministry known as Bible Study Guides: Practical Answers, Real Hope. I thought it was an appropriate story to post as a prelude to our upcoming series - Having A Real Relationship With God is Everything. While believing couples do come together with a spiritual background and knowledge OF God, many of those couples still struggle with their own individual belief, faith, trust and relationship WITH God. There are some who inwardly doubt the whole “God thing”, but would never admit it to anyone, not even to themselves.

The following is a condensed popular story by the late Paul Harvey:

There was a nonreligious skeptical man who just couldn't swallow the "Jesus story" about an Incarnation, about God coming to earth as a man. But one snowy evening he noticed a flock of birds huddled miserably in the snow, not having any shelter. Well, he couldn't let the poor creatures lie there and freeze, and he thought about his barn. That would provide a warm shelter, if he could direct the birds to it. Quickly he went to the barn, opened the doors wide and turned on a light, but the birds did not come in. He figured food would entice them in. So he hurried back to the house, found some bread crumbs that he sprinkled on the snow, making a trail to the doorway of the barn.

But to his dismay, the birds ignored the bread crumbs, and continued to flap around helplessly in the snow. He tried catching them. He tried shooing them into the barn by walking around them waving his arms. Instead, they scattered in every direction, except into the warm, lighted barn. And then, he realized that they were afraid of him. To them, he reasoned, I am a strange and terrifying creature. If only I could think of some way to let them know that they can trust me. That I am not trying to hurt them, but to help them. But how? Because any move he made tended to frighten them, they just would not follow.

They would not be led or shooed because they feared him. "If only I could be a bird," he thought to himself, "and mingle with them and speak their language. Then I could tell them not to be afraid. Then I could show them the way to the safe, warm barn. But I would have to be one of them so they could see, and hear and understand." That thought became an epiphany. Stunned, he remembered the fundamental message: "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14). Suddenly the gospel he had heard made complete sense! He dropped to his knees in the snow.

Paradise

At the beginning of each new day, I have a view in mind -

It is a glorious scene that I hold close to my heart, and it guides me through every avenue and byway, from the mundane to the insane and back again-

It is true that heaven can be found on earth;

for when the seed of God's love is planted, when it is nurtured 
and protected from the heat of adversity
and the winds of strife -

there is sanctuary, and oneness

When the day is through, 

there's a peace that wells from 

my soul, and a singular, glorious view

that guides me home to you

Bridget Edwards   ©  2017

Looking Back, Moving Forward

 A dog and her best friend. Lexus the Rottie and R. Lamont, RIP

One of the things about me that seems to annoy my loved ones is my habit of taking candid photos. They say I invade their space, privacy, etc., when I snap a picture without warning.

Of course, because they know this about me, they should always be 'ready', I reason. When all is said and done, however, the end result is a crowd pleaser and a treasure to last a lifetime and beyond.

I'm glad for my obsession with taking pictures (I even demand them from my children when they are traveling). They help me join in the snapshot; relive the memorable moments in my life. Times when small details of a seemingly ordinary day open up in the same old way, and sometimes, a brand new way at second glance. A picture can bring tears of joy, thanksgiving to the heart and soul, because once upon a time, life happened. And it was good.

The picture here shows my late husband and his best friend trailing behind him on a desert path. They were walking ahead of me, and it was Valentine's Day, 2010. Both of them are gone now. But here they are again, in this timeless frame.

This picture-love I have is cathartic and gives me strength as I move forward. 

Before You Say "I Do"

Folks can always get together to pose for the perfect family picture, can’t they? After “Pray and Keep Praying”, here is number two of the TOP FIVE "ESSENTIAL THINGS TO DO LIST" for the single, marriage-minded and engaged:

OBSERVE THE FAMILY!
 
If you fail to see the importance of pre-marital family observation because your loved one is so amazingly wonderful, then you're already in trouble! What you don't know WILL hurt you sooner than later. Guaranteed.

Ladies have heard the advice about watching how your man treats his mother. This counsel is deeply rooted in age-old, time-tested experience. Men, it's equally important to check how your lady regards her father. Ask yourself, “How does my loved one engage with both parents?” And in the absence of parents, what's the relationship/interaction with other family members? There continues to be too many "surprises" after marriage due to the lack of attention to details that were red flags all over the place during the dating period.

If you've made your selection - please be informed. When you've decided that this person is THE ONE - then you should already know, as much as possible, about any congenital and heredity issues. These important conversations need to be had well before you say, "I do". You're playing for keeps and there's nothing wrong with equipping each other with the whole truth so the final decision is truly guided by LOVE.

Take the time to spend time with the family of your beloved; you will learn many things from close observation. Watch how problems are solved (or not), listen carefully to what people say (and don't say). They will be YOUR family one day.

It is much better and more honorable to bow out gracefully before going to the altar, based on careful and prayerful consideration, than feeling stuck in the quicksand of dysfunction and resentment.