Over the last three years I have had a subscription to the \u201cGather\u201d magazine. It is a small publication put out by the Women of the ELCA, based in Chicago. It contains several different articles, related to a particular theme that month, as well as a bible study that is meant to be shared with in your congregations.<\/p>\n
I will admit, the first article I read, I thought this magazine would be rather \u201cpreachy\u201d, or \u201creligious\u201d. However, being the dutiful pastors spouse, it might be good to start looking at it in case someone asks me about it. What did I know? I\u2019m new to this pastors wife thing. Aren\u2019t we all supposed to be reading this magazine? Aren\u2019t we all supposed to able to hold a bible study from our home? Anyhow, I digress as usual.<\/p>\n
The next article I received contained a bible study and articles about a journey. This theme would run for a couple of issues. It talked about biblical journeys and journeys of today. I found it comforting to help adjust to the move to Dubuque, even if it was still a tough struggle. However, the articles all said they same thing about the travel and different struggles people face from Cultural differences to the simple state location.<\/p>\n
Over time I have read many articles, some inspiring, while other not so much. Not every article can be a winner, much to the editors disappointment. Nonetheless, I continued my subscription. I have participated in bible studies from those magazines both in my home and while on our internship. What prompts this message today was an article I read in the September 2014 issue. \u201cAbiding Presence\u201d by Kathryn Haueisen.<\/p>\n
The article grabbed my attention, and while reading the article I was both amazed and awed. The writer wrote about a women, who as child endured many hardships, but she remained faithful in prayer and faithful in God\u2019s protection and comfort. The article pointed to an absolute God moment for this women.<\/p>\n
The women\u2019s name is Karen Davidson, a widow who had lived alone for many years, but had lived in her home over 40 years. One evening she was climbing the stairs up to her room for the night and fell backwards down those stairs. She was shocked of course, who wouldn\u2019t be. She was laying on her back at the bottom of the stairs with her legs caught between the banister railings. Amazingly, after the initial shock, she picked herself back up, walked to the living room and sat in her chair. She then decided it was best to try and go back to bed. So up the stair she went. In the morning she had feelings of numbness, contacted a neighbor who was a nurse, who provided transportation to get her to the hospital immediately. While there it turns out she needed emergency surgery. So Long story short, she really should have died or should have been paralyzed. Her neck was broken along with 3 vertebrae that were missing. During her recovery she had time to reflect over her life and saw where God was present and saved her from some very real disasters. She doesn\u2019t call them miracles, but she does say how God has a plan for her and her job is not completed her on earth. So she continues to pray faithfully, and works with programs through her church and in the Gulf Coast Synod.<\/p>\n
I have told Doug on several occasions how I wish I could be hit over the head with a Holy 2×4, to figure what\u2019s going on in my life. I try to hold the biblical parable of the mustard seed. I have that mustard seed, I just haven\u2019t let it grow completely within me. This article made me reflect over my life too. No I\u2019m not injured, or deathly ill. I am not homeless or alone. I am no different than many others. I wanted to reflect, now, not wait until I have a near death experience.
\nIf I really look back over my life, I do see God has been there along. God\u2019s son Jesus has walked along side of me, and has tried to give me direction. Directions I chose to either ignore or refused to see. I don’t have amazing stories like Karen, in the article. I only have little things.<\/p>\n
I’m still alive and relatively healthy. Both my kids are still breathing and with no alignments or threats of doom. I’m still happily married, have old and new friends. I have life experiences, and more to come. I just need reminders along that way, that God is near. That my prayers do not fall on deaf ears, but my prayers are not always answered the way I want them to be. Sometimes, God says NO, or Not yet, wait. Although not easy, God’s time is always perfect and his path for me is perfect. I just need to cultivate and work on that mustard seed, so I no longer have doubt.<\/p>\n
To steal a quote form Karen in the article. “God really is in charge of my life.” I’m not sure where this last quote fits in, but it is my new favorite.
\n“Sometimes the Devil allows people to live a life free of trouble, cause he doesn’t want them TURNING TO GOD”. from the movie “GOD NOT DEAD!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Over the last three years I have had a subscription to the \u201cGather\u201d magazine. It is a small publication put out by the Women of the ELCA, based in Chicago. It contains several different articles, related to a particular theme … Continue reading