2020 January Issue: A New Year
The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? -Psalm 27:1
Visit Our Website at www.FaithOnEveryCorner.com for previous issues and information on our contributors.
FAITH ON EVERY CORNER
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
H
appy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and celebrated bringing in a new decade. WOW, 2020 already, and it is going to be a year we won’t likely forget.
Two years ago, Craig and I got to visit the Outer Banks shortly after the new year began. We both like lighthouses and they hold a special meaning to us. To us, they sybolize the light we need every day. A light that guides us and stands firm on solid rock. A light that shines so bright, everyone can see it - even through the fog. It reminds us of how bright God’s light is and how we can ask him to guide our footsteps each day. Do you know Jesus personally? If you want to know him or want to know him better please contact us at faithoneverycorner@gmail.com.
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hank you for taking the time to read our magazine. We hope you will share with your family, friends, church family, and on your social media sites. Help us grow and share the good news. May we all share God’s light so that more people follow Jesus Christ, our Savior.
ach month we look forward to receiving subraise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus missions from writers. It is our goal to offer a Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth magazine where writers can see their articles in into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus print. I remember the first time I was published, Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that it was in a small newspaper in Ohio, I was so happy! can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in As a writer, you receive a by-line and if you become a heaven for you. ~1 Peter 1:3-4 regular contributing writer, we will add your photo and bio to our website. Having experience being published can help you as you submit to other publishers and agents. Our magazine submission policy and guidelines are online. Please email us if you have any questions. We will be praying for you!
KAREN RUHL
Pride
by Karen Ruhl
I
am a photographer, and I love sharing my photos in this magazine. There was a time that I would not have posted any of my photos publicly. I was too afraid of hearing criticism. I have taken thousands of photos and have worn a couple of cameras out! I would share them with Craig (my husband) and he always told me how pretty they were or how he liked a certain shot. But I was very fearful, until the day I was reading the Bible and read that we should not worry about what others think of us but only what God thinks of us.
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eally, I thought, I wonder why I have so much trouble then. What is causing me to be so afraid to share. And then, I read another verse, “Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else.” Galatians 6:4 This verse made me take note, it made me think about why I would worry about what others think of me and my photographs. It opened my eyes to what was really at the base of this fear. It was my own pride. I was afraid of criticism and yet that was the very thing I needed in order to
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K grow as a photographer. As I started to share, I found that I got mostly good remarks, I got really brave and became part of a photography group. I found people who shared my love for the art and were more than willing to give critiques if I asked for them. I even found that I was able to help people with their camera settings and encourage them to keep shooting.
I
continue to work on my pride. I realize how much it has impacted my relationships and try very hard now to stop and pray if I am feeling insecure, or even a bit jealous. I search my heart and realize I need to change my way of thinking. ~2 Timothy 1:7 says this, “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” For now, I will practice self-discipline and enjoy the gifts he has given me.
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e blessed and enjoy your gifts and may God light your path.
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
F O L LO W U S
Karen Ruhl
PRIDE
Karen Ruhl
I’M TRYING
Cheryl Stevenson
DEAR CARL
Anna Friend
WHISPERS OF HIS GRACE
Pam McCormick
WAR COUNCIL
Craig Ruhl
YE OF LITTLE FAITH
Karen Ruhl
RECALCULATING
Randi McNiel
D O N ’ T U S E GOD AS A SPARE TIRE YO U A R E B E A U T I F U L THE RABBIT TREE ROAD TRIPPIN’
NEW THIS ISSUE
4 7 9 10 12 15 16 18 21 24 29
23 27
Bill Warren
Anna Friend
Lynn Downham Karen Ruhl
Verses To Commit To Memory It Is All Greek To Me!
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Faith On Every Corner Publisher & Editor in Chief: Karen Ruhl Senior Editor & Business Manager: Craig Ruhl Photography: Karen Ruhl Staff Writers: Craig Ruhl, Karen Ruhl Submit Articles For Consideration to: FaithOnEveryCorner@gmail.com Phone: 828-305-8571
The Best Time For New Beginnings Is Now!
www.FaithOnEveryCorner.com ©Copyright Faith On Every Corner 2018, 2019, 2020
Disclaimer and Copyright Notification The Information contained in the published works of Faith On Every Corner LLC has been received from sources that we believe to be reliable. However, neither Faith On Every Corner LLC nor its authors, writers, editors, or publisher can guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information published. Faith On Every Corner LLC, its authors, writers, editors, and publishers are not responsible for any errors or omissions in our published works. All Faith On Every Corner© publications, websites, blogs, and other media are copyrighted. All rights are reserved. Faith On Every Corner© published works may be reproduced, shared, copied, or transmitted as long as the published work is unaltered and contains proper attribution to Faith On Every Corner©. Contributing writers to Faith On Every Corner© retain full rights to their articles. 6FAITH | MON AG A ZEVERY INE NAM E CORNER
I’m Trying
By Cheryl Stevenson I’m trying to do my best to remember something. I’m trying to accept that sometimes I won’t recognize someone who I should. I’m trying to comprehend the words that I hear. I’m trying to stay positive although sometimes that is difficult to do. I’m trying to accept that I can no longer enjoy reading a book. I’m trying so hard to feel normal. I’m trying to figure out how to do something that I know I used to be able to do easily. I’m trying to recall what I want to write down before the words are lost forever. I’m trying to enjoy my life in spite of the challenges with mild cognitive impairment. I’m trying to read some text, remember it, then comprehend it. I’m trying to finish writing this poem, but the words are just not there. I’m trying to have patience with “me” because of how my brain is working. I’m trying to remember the words so that I can respond to someone. I’m trying not to get frustrated when I can’t remember something.
One day I was on social media & I saw the words “I’m Trying” & I thought that it would be a good title for a new poem. I opened up a word document on my laptop & I began typing. I just never know where or when the inspiration will hit me.
Cheryl has Mild Cognitive Impairment. She likes to write while she can and has a very positive attitude. We are honored to be able to share Cheryl’s poems.
I’m trying to learn something new but that is a difficult task and sometimes impossible! I’m trying to understand why I don’t do anything to help myself when I am in pain. I’m trying so hard to keep my life together. I’m trying to accept that sometimes I will forget something within a few seconds. I’m trying so hard to stay calm while I wait for the fog to clear. I’m trying to recall someone’s name that I am pretty sure that I should know. I’m trying to comprehend the story-line while watching television. I’m trying to figure out how to use my chap-stick. I’m trying to understand the directions so that I can put something together. I’m trying so hard not to feel frustrated when I don’t comprehend something. I’m trying to follow my navigation system so that I don’t get lost. I’m trying to remember if I took my medications.
From the publisher. Every month, Cheryl is faithful in sending us a submission. Her articles give us all a glimpse into memory impairment. It is real, and it is not easy. We thought we would put a couple of links that may help you if you have any questions about memory impairment. We did an internet search, we are not recommending any of these organizations but hope they may provide some guidance. National Insitute of Aging: https://www.nia.nih.gov/ Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mild-cognitive-impairment/symptoms-causes/syc-20354578
I’m trying to figure out how to get my book published. I’m trying to educate people about what it is like to live with a memory impairment.
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DEAR CARL
We encourage you to follow along with Anna as she brings us Dear Carl each month. We have it from a good source, Anna herself, that Carl’s mother will be experiencing events that go along with aging. We look forward to reading Dear Carl each month and hope you do too.
Anna Friend (Carl’s mom writes him letters occasionally. Carl is her only child. Carl’s father died when he was in college. Living in the Arizona, Carl calls his Mom in the Carolinas as often as he can on Sundays. Carl’s mom is in her 80s. She lives in a contemporary world with old fashioned values.)
Dear Carl, Happy New Year, again! Son, I love that no matter where you are and what you are doing, you call me every year on New Year’s Eve. It’s a privilege at my age to welcome in the New Year. Never mind that I slept in to almost 9 am the next day. Goodness, I felt ashamed. In the late night before midnight, I thought about my remaining days and how I will use them. I have been mostly healthy with only some minor vision and arthritis issues. If my health and mind maintain, I want to give my time and be of use to someone. This week I went to a nearby resting home to volunteer. I am now a reader to a blind resident. We started a book set in the old west, cowboys included. He tells me I have a nice voice. If I wasn’t humble, I would say he is a bit flirtatious. I haven’t told him I am an 80+ year old, short, chubby woman. I think I will indulge his imaginations. Maybe I just happen to like the attention too. Now, I sound like Shirley. She loves a good compliment from a man. I went to the grocery store this morning. It was piercing cold with a dry air that hurt my face. I went to buy some winter fruits and vegetables. I saw a pomegranate on the floor that had rolled off its stand. I was reminded of when you were a child when I bought one for you. When we got it home, we had no idea how to open it and get the seeds. We tried peeling it, then we cut it with a knife and pried the juicy seeds from the bitter skin inside. Your dad came home looking startled at our hands and fingers. They looked like they were in a horror flick. We were stained for days. Well, I am trying to eat healthy again. The holidays did me in with all the sweets, and creamy dips. I keep hearing about a popular diet everyone is doing but I can’t figure it out. Son, they can eat bacon wrapped cheese but not bite into an apple. Just don’t sound right to me. I am back with Shirley at the high school gym taking an exercise class. We take laps around the gym. I jog but Shirley tries to keep up with the men. No one is really running. I have been getting out a few more days each week. My roommate misses me. Yes, Sheba, is no longer a “no name” cat. She has a queen attitude and her name fits her well. After her morning nibble, Sheba jumps on my lap and I read aloud my devotional and daily Bible verse. Today, we read 1 Corinthians 10:31. Carl, everything we do in our lives should be for God’s glory. This includes what we eat! How we eat! It’s not just manners but that we live in a way that people will see that we live for God and our God is good. I guess that is why I took my pudgy feet to the store this morning. Miss you, son. Tell Donna to stay off her sprained ankle a few more days. I am sure she is fine with that. Call me when you get back from your ski trip. Love, Mom 1 Corinthians 10:31 New International Version (NIV) 31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
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WHISPERS OF GRACE by Pamela McCormick
I see dead limbs outside my window; I see tiny hints of green climbing the tree, as if they are saying, “I’m coming, bare branches. I’m coming to bring you new life.” I see daffodils springing up Where there was once a covering of deep and cold earth, A fragrant beauty for the eyes and the nose adding color and vibrance to a once barren lawn Green and yellow, colors of spring, reappearing and making life known Dead things are being renewed and are being brought back to life again. They were not forgotten. I see bushy-haired squirrels and beautifully colored birds foraging for food I see little mouths filled with acorns, storing away meals for today. I see worms and bugs, being drawn from the ground, Bringing provision and much satisfaction to many hungry birds. They are all provided for They were not forgotten. I see and hear the rain soaking the earth The ground is drinking up the moisture where there had been much dryness. I see cows lying down in green pastures Signaling the coming of even more rain I see children dancing in the rain and twirling round and round, As if to say, “Stay rain. You feel good.” The children are laughing, and all is good. And I see children making mud pies; How much fun they are to create And the good memories of life once forgotten, regenerated again They were not forgotten. I see hurt and pain leaving my body And recognizing a refreshment coming to me and knowing That the miracle that is happening inside me is A precious gift from my Savior For God heard my cries to Him for help in my distress And He answered me. With the closeness of His Presence, God said to me, “I am doing a new thing.” God said, “You were not forgotten.” No more am I defined by what has been said or done to me Instead, I am dressed by God in robes of righteousness and splendor Just as the tree, the squirrels, the birds, the children were provided for, God is providing something to me. A new way of thinking, a new way of seeing me. Through eyes that once saw so much darkness, my eyes now see hope rising in me. I see a brilliant sunrise, like I’ve never seen before I see beauty and not the ashes of yesterday I see love, and I’m overwhelmed by God’s goodness, and I smile I see my sadness and tears changing to tears of sweet joy. Whispers of His grace. I was not forgotten.
FAITH ON EVERY CORNER
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve, to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor.” Isaiah 61:1-3 Like the rain impacts the deepest recesses of the earth, God’s rain, His blessings of love and peace, are falling on me. And replenishing me. The sunshine is returning, and my countenance is changing, As God is shining His love down on me. Because of all the Lord has done, I am rejoicing and singing a new song God is delighting in me. In the good and the bad times, He continually is singing over me A song of deliverance, a song of much love His love never changes for me. His love changes me. I hear the melody of those birds singing outside my window, And all that is within me is worshiping the God of my salvation. I am seeing God, because I am choosing to see Him and am listening closely To the love songs He is singing over me. I hear His whispers of grace, Be still and know that I am God Where things were once so broken, I am seeing things being mended and being made new God did not forget me. I will tell others the glorious deeds He has done And I will tell others of the grace He has shown to me, a sinner I will tell them of the perfect and beautiful love of God I will go in His Name and help others know this God that has loved me so well and tell them of the new beginnings He brings. Freeing them from strongholds of fear and insecurity, Like He is doing for me I will whisper the same words of grace He whispered to me I was never forgotten.It is because I thought I was that I can minister to others and say, “You are not forgotten.” I will be available as the Lord leads For the wounded, the weary, the hurting Because I have been all those things And Christ delivered me. That need, that kind word, that word of peace, that word of love God has not forgotten me, and He has not forgotten you. Keep looking to God. Let God love you. Let Him pour Himself out on you. He will be the Great you need, when you need it most He will provide what you need when you cannot see life ever returning God has not forgotten you He has so many more surprises to show you. If you will just be still and listen to His Whispers of Grace Love you more than you can imagine. Go and love others, like I have loved on you. God
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The diner itself dated from the mid-fifties or sixties and had not seen many upgrades since then. Looking in from the sidewalk, through the foggy windows with the specials of the day written in washable paint, it looked like an everyday business that was doing a steady trade.
WA R COUNCIL by Craig Ruhl War Council is a work of fiction created by Craig Ruhl. In this issue, we share with our readers the prologue to this series. In future issues, we will bring you a new chapter in the continuing story. Craig’s bio appears at www.faithoneverycorner.com/ meet-our-contributors.html War Council is copyrighted by Craig Ruhl 2020, all rights reserved.
I pushed open the outer metal door and then through the inner wood door, passing through what served as a transition zone–in the winter to keep the warmth in and during the summer to keep the heat out. I walked in and took a stool at the far end of the counter, closest to the restrooms and payphones. Seated at the counter, and facing the kitchen with the food pass-through and shelf, I could watch as the cook moved back and forth over his grill and griddle. This seating position is not optimal for several reasons. You cannot see what is happening behind you or the people coming in the door. Besides the long counter and stools, there were several booths clad in faded red vinyl with a variety of off-color patches and repairs. Out of character for the room, a single large round table with seating for eight sat in the far corner from where I sat. There were also a few mismatched chairs along the wall behind the table. Sitting at the counter with a steaming cup of black coffee that appeared in front of me, I thought, what could be better on a bitter bone chilling winter day. I read through the single sheet, two-sided menu, all text and no pictures—pretty much standard grill and fry food offerings. The waitress reappeared with a pad and pencil to take my order. In deference to my paranoia of first meals in new eateries, I
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asked for two eggs over easy, ham steak, hash browns, and wheat toast with butter on the side. I thought this was a safe, yet still hearty meal for a hungry man. While I waited for the cook to put together my breakfast, I glanced over towards the round table and started to take in the five men seated there. They were deep in conversation over cups of coffee and remnant dishes from recent meals. The indistinct murmur of their voices increased in volume and laughter started. Now, I wished I had sat at the other end of the counter near the table to better hear what was being said. Looking over my shoulder, I could see two of the booths occupied, one with a man and woman both sitting on one side of the booth and the other by what appeared to be three businessmen, judging by their suits and ties. As the round table discussion continued, it drew my attention back to that area. My curiosity is strong under most conditions and these people were piquing my interest. My breakfast arrived with a fresh refill of coffee, water, and a few packaged jellies for the toast. The waitress’ name was Earla, according to her name tag. I offered my thanks and then before I realized what I was doing, I blurted out, “What’s the story with the round table and those men? It looks like a friendly group of customers.”
“Oh, Honey, I’m not sure you should do that. It is a reserved table and membership, if you can call it that, is by invitation only,” Earla replied with a smile. “Besides, I have heard that group referred to as the War Council. None of us understands all that goes on with that table or the agendas they talk and sometimes argue about. I know that they all are very respected and loved by the community and our other customers. They bow their heads and pray together before they eat. Instead of handshakes, they say hello and goodbye with a hug.” With a smile, Earla went back to the service area, grabbed a pot of fresh coffee and started making the rounds offering re-fills and cheerful talk. As I wiped the remaining egg yolk off the plate with the last piece of toast, my curiosity increased and I wanted to learn more. War Council, prayer, hugs? To be continued…
“Honey,” Earla replied, “That table of men has been meeting there for over thirty-five years. There are about twelve to fifteen men that I know of who take part. Over time, some men have passed on or moved away and new ones have joined. We are open from five in the morning until midnight every day of the year and the guys seem to come and go as they please, but most days there are at least two or three in residence and often over eight more men will join in with extra chairs drawn up.” “Maybe I’ll sit in next time and get to know them. They seem to have a great time.” I said.
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Y E O F L I T T L E FA I T H
I
magine working with your father on a fishing boat casting the nets into the lake. A man walks up to you and points to you and says, “Come, follow me and I will send you out to fish for people.” Do you think you would walk away from you father and follow this man? These men already knew Jesus, he had been preaching in the area. Since Peter and Andrew had heard him and knew what kind of man he was, they followed him. Peter, Andrew, James, and John were the first diciples that Jesus called to work with him. They left at once and followed him.
By Karen Ruhl
These four men were with Jesus as he traveled through Galilee teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom.
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They gathered around him on the mountain as Jesus preached at the Sermon on the Mount. In fact, because these four were the first disciples Jesus chose, they were with him at all times. They witnessed Jesus healing people, casting out demons, and feeding thousands from just a few loaves of bread and a few fish. In Matthew, Chapter 8, Jesus gets into a boat and starts across the lake with his disciples. Jesus decides to take a nap. Suddenly, we are told, a fierce storm struck the lake with waves breaking into the boat. The boat was probably the kind familiar to many of Jesus’ disciples who were fisherman. The disciples went and woke Jesus up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We are going to drown!” Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and
Later in Matthew, a crowd of people have gathered in a remote place to hear Jesus speak. It is getting late and Jesus told his disciples to feed the people. The disciples asked Jesus where they would get the food and told Jesus to send the crowd home. Jesus told them that it wasn’t necessary to send them home and took five loaves of bread and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. That evening he fed 5,000 men, in addition to all of the women and children.
I don’ t know about you, but I have been in situations where I have cried out to the Lord and then immediately took back what I asked Him to do. The words, “Ye of little faith” are in the bible four times. Four times we are told to have faith, yet everyday, we doubt and try to handle things on our own. We start out with good intentions, but sometimes our faith falters. This does not mean we have failed. When Peter’s faith failed, he reached out to Christ, the only one who cold help him.
Immediately after this, Jesus instructed his disciples to get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent “ LO R D, I F I T ’ S YO U ,” the people P E T E R R E P L I E D, “ T E L L home.
When you are having troubles, reach out to Jesus, remember that he is always with us and is the only one who can help.
While out on the lake, the disciples “ C O M E ,” H E S A I D. were fighting winds and heavy waves. Early in the morning - around 3 a.m., Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified and they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”
Craig and I have a bible that allows us to read the entire bible in a year. We also have application study bibles and use them to look up what the verses mean if we aren’t sure.
M E TO C O M E TO YO U O N T H E WAT E R .”
But Jesus spoke to them and told them at once, “Don’t be afraid,” he said, “Take courage, I am here!” Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it is really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “Yes, Come,” said Jesus. Peter got out of the boat and walked on water toward Jesus. But when he saw a strong wind and the waves, he started to sink. “Save Me, Lord!” he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith.” Jesus said, “Why did you doubt me?”
We encourage you to find a good bible-based church and get involved. Or find a small group that is reading the bible or doing bible lessons. While we can read the bible and read devotionals, it is always wise to have others to help you understand what is being said. God’s Word is fully sufficient to prepare us for everything the Bible commands us to do. The Holy Spirit uses the Word of God to transform us into Christ-likeness. It is fully sufficient for life and truth transference. If you have not given your life to Jesus and want to know more. Please email us at faithoneverycorner@gmail. com. May God Bless You All.
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R E C A LC U L AT I N G by Randi McNiel
RECALCULATING!
January 2020 – A New Year You may remember the old GPS that gave you directions as you drove to your destination. If you did something contrary to what it told you to do – like miss a turn, or you turned left instead of right – it would stop and say, “Recalculating.” It would then come up with new directions to get you back on track. As we begin a new year many of us go into it with New Year resolutions, or at least some idea of what we hope to accomplish. Maybe there are things you want to do differently, or perhaps something you’d like to start – a hobby you want to take up, or a new habit you want to form. A new year is a new beginning, a fresh start, a clean page. It is the hope of something better. For me, the year 2020 was going to be brighter following a very sad and challenging 2019. My brother had died in January following an 8-year battle with cancer. My dad died in June at the ripe old age of 99, but a major loss for me as he was the one I called every morning as a sounding board while I struggled with my husband’s Alzheimer’s. Right after that, following a 6-year battle with my husband’s Alzheimer’s and Vascular Dementia, I made the hard decision to place him in a board and care since he was no longer walking. I visited him every day and fed him dinner, treasuring every moment I had with him. But in October, my husband passed away. So much loss, so much grief and pain – it was over-
whelming.
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Friends stepped up to make the coming holidays a little brighter for me. My two childhood friends came to town and we planned a Girl’s Day of activities. My fellow Stephen Ministers at church invited me to join them for their Christmas Potluck. A Holiday Champaign Breakfast was coming up that Saturday at the senior community where I live, and our church’s annual Festival of Christmas Music with choir, orchestra and handbells would be that Sunday – a full week of activities with friends after being sidelined from activities for so long. And 2020 was just around the corner. I had hopes of going back to choir, participating in a grief share group, getting out with friends and finding a new normal without my husband and the responsibilities of care giving. That’s when God stepped in with a different plan. It came in the form of a cricket in my bathroom the night before my Girl’s Day out. I fell and broke my ankle. It was as if God was saying, “Recalculating.” What? Seriously? I would spend the next 2 nights in the emergency room followed by a month in a nursing care and rehab facility – through Christmas and New Year’s. I would miss all of those activities with my friends that was to have eased the grief and bring me some joy. I would spend another 6-8 weeks in a non-weight-bearing cast – going into February unable to drive, to work, to go anywhere. And God says, “recalculating?” I didn’t get it then and I don’t understand it now.
What do we do when God steps in with another plan than what we had hoped for? People lose loved ones during the holidays as well as other times during the year. There can be that diagnosis of a serious illness, the breakdown of a marriage or other relationship, financial disaster. How do we handle it when God seemingly says, “recalculating” and our lives go down a different path than we intended? How do we move beyond the anger, disappointment, self-pity and depression? I often think that someone is going to get the glory from my reaction to life with its’ twists and turns. The glory will either go to God, or it will go to Satan – there is no middle ground. It all comes down to my attitude. And my attitude really comes down to trust. Do we only trust God when things go our way? Why is it so hard to trust when we don’t understand what He is doing? Consider the following: GOD LOVES US “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” (Jeremiah 31:3)
GOD’S WAYS ARE NOT OUR WAYS “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, So are my ways higher than your ways And my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9) God loves us more than we can fully comprehend. He has a specific plan for each of us individually. He doesn’t owe us an explanation as to why He does what He does. He doesn’t ask us to understand, only to trust Him. We trust God with our salvation and our eternity; surely we can trust Him with our daily lives. Will you trust Him when he says, “recalculating?”
Thank you, Ellie Joy, for painting my cast today. It is absolutely lovely! You have such a gift.
“I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17-20) “Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called the sons of God.” (1 John 3:1) “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) GOD HAS A PLAN FOR EACH OF US “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
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REMEMBER, DON’ T USE GOD AS A S PA R E T I R E IN BUSINESS AND LIFE By Bill Warren
Things were going along smoothly in the jewelry store we’d just opened back in 1993. Our first year had come off nicely and my wife Angie was ready to quit her job and start helping me in our store. I’d basically grew up around the business and felt very confident I could handle most anything....but then... Well into our second year, I tried to grow too fast and made some terrible inventory buying decisions. We had all of this gorgeous jewelry and guess what...it kept sitting in our showcases and the bills kept coming due! Of course, we had lines of credit which I quickly maxed out. Power bills, insurance, staff plus the inventory bills all came due and it looked like things would crash around us.
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One morning my wife told me that if we didn’t have X amount of dollars by the end of the day, it was all over...we’d have to shut things down. So I looked at her and said, “Let’s talk to God about it like we should have in the first place!” We both knelt down to pray in the backroom of our old store location and asked God to forgive us for not seeking “His” direction before we made these terrible buying decisions. It’s funny how we’d asked him about everything else but we’d grown overconfident in our own abilities by the second year and didn’t seek his guidance. We finished our prayer, got up and with tears in our eyes, gave each other a big hug knowing that whatever happened, God would be there to bring us through. We also knew we’d accept whatever his judgement brought. And then it happened... The phone started ringing, people we’d never met all of the sudden started showing up at our door to do business. By the end of the day, we had exactly the dollar amount we needed plus extra. It taught us both a lesson about seeking God’s will first in not only business but all areas of our life. God showed us his mercy that day...he could just as easily have let the whole thing collapse. Friends let me encourage today, put God first in all things, seek his guidance to light your path. Don’t use him as a “Spare Tire”....yes, he can show up and rescue you from your bad decisions but wouldn’t it be better if you asked him about things first and avoided making the bad decision to begin with? Blessings to all...
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B I L L WA R R E N
Bill Warren is the President and Founder of The Gold Mine Jewelry & Gifts located in Hudson, North Carolina. He opened the store in August of 1993. He also owns and operates Diamond Bill Marketing, through which he regularly coaches other retailers to help them better learn how to market themselves. Bill Warren regularly speaks at trade shows, conventions, and meetings around the USA in the retail industry. In his talks, he dispenses his knowledge regarding building profitable traffic for a retail store using innovative marketing techniques. Bill is a columnist for multiple jewelry publications around the world and also leads a “Mastermind Group” for successful jewelers.
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From the publisher. We met Anna through a Christian writers group that meets in Rutherfordton, NC. Anna has studied writing and shares stories that will touch you to the core. We are excited to share another one of Anna’s stories. If you have not read her Dear Carl letters, you can read this month’s letter on page 9.
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Anna Friend, born in California, is a 24-year resident of North Carolina, along with her husband of 30 years. Anna writes realistic fiction, celebrating marriage and positive relationships that endure life challenges. She loves sharing God’s redeeming love on the page.
YO U A R E BEAUTIFUL By Anna Friend ~Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” New Living Translation (NLT)
praying you have the heart to fight, ‘cause you are more than what’s hurting you tonight…you are beautiful, you are beautiful, you are made for so much more than all of this…”. I could breathe, and the tears became drops.
Tears poured over my lashes, streaming down my face. I steadied my eyes on the red tail lights of my daughter’s car. I was following her to my home, where my broken heart would attempt rest. Minutes before I was near, speechless for the pain, as I shared my sorrow to her. She led me home fearing that I would detour into the black, darkness of midnight. “Why?” wouldn’t leave my mind.
Paul writes in Ephesians that we are God’s masterpiece. In that moment alone in my car, I remembered who I was in Christ. I am His outstanding artistry, beautiful, His best work. He has plans for me. I was made for more than this pain in life. I will do good things for Him. It took several years but I am healed from my sorrow.
I trust in the sovereignty of God. I know Him to be a bearer of burdens. The error of man in a fallen world is not without consequence. God is able to see me through; yet how could God allow such pain? I must have failed in some way, again. I was a woman with a heart shattered into shards of glass. I would never be the same. My feelings and thoughts were intertwined with Godly truth and self-condemnation. I turned on the radio to distract my thoughts that warm night in June. A gentle voice sang, “…and
When life blindsides you with a hurtful circumstance, or when you feel abandoned in your need, remember whose you are. In Jesus, our father God scoops up the shards of your life, and He creates you all new. He has plans for you to fulfill. You are His masterpiece. You are more than what ‘s hurting you. You are beautiful. (Lyrics noted are from “Beautiful” as sung by Mercy Me, The Worship Project, 1999. Lyrics written by Nathan Cochran.)
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Bible Verses We Love to Learn, Pray, and Remember
We at Faith On Every Corner are committed to being constantly in the Word of God. Like many others, we are intentional in reading and studying the Bible as part of our learning what God would have us know and how we are to lead our daily lives. It is very useful to concentrate on those Scripture verses that especially connect with you. By reading these verses, thinking about what they mean, and even committing them to memory, you will have the resources in mind to face the daily physical and spiritual challenges we all face. In this column, we have provided a few verses that are our favorites. Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” James 4:7 “Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” 22 | M AG AEVERY Z I N E N ACORNER ME FAITH ON
John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” Mathew 16:18 “And I tell you that you are peter and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Psalm 91:1-4 “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. Surely, he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart…” Matthew 25:23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’” 1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” John 8:32 “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Psalm 119:114 “You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.” Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
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THE RABBIT TREE
By Lynn Downham
Hello, friends! Well, I went back to the Sycamore Hole article to see where I left you with the Rabbit Tree and I found that I had explained I am painting the tree of life from Revelation 22. Several years ago, when I was first reading Rev 22:1-2 and the words, “in the midst of the street of it..” opened my eyes to the tree being OVER the river, the “Rabbit Tree” came pretty quickly to my mind. The Rabbit Tree was a huge tree I had seen many years before, but where?? It didn’t take too long to figure out that it had been North Carolina for I had seen it as a teenager. The “boys” had taken us “girls” to see a really neat, very big tree. I remembered that there had been a trailer that the caretaker lived in and that one of the “girls’” fathers was the caretaker. I remembered that we had walked through a cow 24 | M AG AEVERY Z I N E N ACORNER ME FAITH ON
pasture and come upon this tree and that we, (the girls), had all been properly amazed by the sight of it. Rising up into the sky before us was a huge tree with half of it’s massive roots exposed where rabbits had made warrens and burrows. Since the ground level where the tree sat was far above our heads, we were eye level with this giant root system in all it’s glory. For some reason, this picture made an indelible impression in my mind. You might wonder at this point why I couldn’t immediately remember where the Rabbit Tree was or is. Our family moved a lot while my brothers and I were growing up, mostly in and out of Charlotte, as Dad worked for Continental Insurance and we were always, as my mother liked to say, “subject to transfer”. So I had only been in Lenoir for 2 years or so when I
saw the tree and I left North Carolina for Florida 10 years later. I was in Florida for 27 years before we came back to NC. As soon as I could break away from our busy schedule, my daughter and I drove out to Fort Defiance to look for the Rabbit Tree. I was excited and I had no trouble remembering where Fort Defiance was because my mother now lived right around a few more curves in the road from it. (She had not lived there when I first saw the tree.) So we get to Fort Defiance and go into the gift shop where I knew a girl worked that Mom knew. There was no trailer visible anywhere. I asked the girl, “Do you know about the Rabbit Tree?” and she responded, “Rabbit Tree? I don’t know any Rabbit Tree. Do you mean the Champion Beech?” And I said, “Champion Beech? I don’t know anything about the Champion Beech.” And she replied, “Well, it’s right over there in the corner.” She pointed towards the opposite end of a field. Still puzzling, my daughter and I headed across this field and there was indeed a very large tree in the far corner. As we reached it I stood there looking, thinking, “Noooo, this is not what I’m looking for,” then, “Wait a minute!” The massive tree sat on the edge of the field. Just behind it, I could see that the ground fell away down a hill, but there was a forest at the bottom of the hill, not a cow pasture. Nevertheless, my daughter and I slid down the dried leaves on the hill to the bottom where we turned around and stood up gazing at “The Rabbit Tree”! There it was, right where it had been for the last 37 years. I was so excited! But where was the cow pasture? I knew how I had been shown it all those years ago. Over the 37 years, the cow pasture had turned into a forest! Now, here’s God in all this. When I had been shown that tree all those years ago, I was NOT walking with the Lord, very much the contrary. It was undoubtedly the scariest year of my life and I know I only survived it by God’s amazing grace. But, 37 years later, He uses something from THAT time in my life for His purposes, (the Revelation 22 tree). I am still today working on renditions of this picture using the Rabbit Tree as a model and I know truly, “...we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” ~Ephesians 2:10 Have a lovely month! Lynn
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IT IS ALL GREEK TO M E ! By Karen Ruhl I love learning the meaning of words in the bible and how they were translated to English. It s wonderful that we can all read the word because of so many faithful men and women who translatted it and are still translating to many third world countries. It is part of the great commmission. ~Matthew 28:16-20 (NIV) The Great Commission Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Here are a few Greek words of the Bible and their English meanings.
WORD QUIZ
Have fun while learning, search for where each of these words are used in the bible. Enjoy!
1
Agapé: is a Greco-Christian term refer-
2
Charis: meaning “grace, kindness, and life”
3
Dunamis: “dynamic” “dunamis” means power
4
Poiema: of the works of God as creator
5
Teleios: absolute, complete, accomplished
ring to love, “the highest form of love, charity” and “the love of God for man and of man for God”
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SUBMISSION POLICY
Magazine Submission Policy and Guidelines • Faith On Every Corner magazine is digitally published on a monthly basis by Faith On Every Corner, LLC • All submissions are subject to editorial review prior to acceptance and publication • Content: Focused on articles, stories, poems, and testimonies centered on acts of faith and service • Audience: Christian, family oriented • Rights: Contributing writers retain the rights to their work, granting Faith On Every Corner, LLC the right to publish, re-publish, share, archive, and for promotional use. • Word Count: Suggested length is 500 – 750 words. • Submission Format: Microsoft Word documents are preferred. • By-Line: By-line is included in publication, table of contents, and contributor highlights • Acceptance: All submissions will be promptly acknowledged, and the author will be advised via e-mail if their submission has been accepted, of any suggested edits, and which issue it is scheduled to be published in. • Distribution: Writers will be provided with a digital link to the publication in which their published work appears. The link is sharable through social media and is suitable for use on writer’s website or blog. The magazine is downloadable from the publisher’s website. • Compensation: Faith On Every Corner is a free digital magazine. Currently, we do not offer compensation for published content. • Faith On Every Corner reserves the right to change or modify these submission guidelines at any time without prior notice. Please contact us at faithoneverycorner@ gmail.com for clarification or questions regarding these guidelines. Prior to submitting to Faith On Every Corner, we suggest that you review prior issues of the magazine at www.faithoneverycorner.com/magazine.html
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The following are the planned themes for the calendar year 2020: January - A New Year February - Love March - Easter is Coming (Easter is 4/12/20) April - Spring May - Patriotic June - Summer Fun July - Freedom August - The Heat is On September - Back to School October - Harvest Time November - Thanksgiving December - Christmas While we do like to follow our scheduled themes, we will gladly review suggested topics or content.
Calling All Writers!
ROAD TRIPPIN’ WITH KAREN & CRAIG P H OTO S BY K A R E N R U H L
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raig and I have not been on a photography trip for the past month, some due to health, and some to our business schedule. While working on the magazine and thinking about the new year ahead, I thought of so many places we have been and what they meant to us.
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osemite National Park came to my mind. It is all inspiring. Yosemite is known all over the world for its rocks and its rock climbing. There’s many cliff faces, domes, and peaks including Royal Arches (Yosemite), Half Dome, and Cathedral Peak. Yosemite Valley is known for having many waterfalls in a relatively small area, due to its sheer granite walls. I was in awe of Yosemite and excited to be in a place where one of my favorite photographers spent quite a bit of time. Ansel Adams was a master of photography. He has many quotes about being behind the camera and said this of Yosemite.
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osemite Valley, to me, is always a sunrise, a glitter of green and golden wonder in a vast edifice of stone and space. ~Ansel Adams
rom the valleys to the tops of the mountains, Yosemite Valley is one of God’s beautiful creations. Once again, Ansel Adams says it best. “I believe the world is incomprehensibly beautiful - an endless prospect of magic and wonder.”
ith that last quote, I leave you with this thought. My hope is that you get out and take drives where you live. You won’t have to drive far to find the beauty that God created. If you are able, find a park near you and explore. May God bless your travels.
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