God Demands To Know: What’s Love Got To Do With It?

On By SonjaIn Godly Living and Maturing, Growing In The Lord, Mankind's Relationship With God, Scriptures For Biblical Maturity, UncategorizedLeave a comment

For this week’s blog, I have chosen to share with my followers who just might be contemplating matrimony in the year 2026. This literary contribution was actually written several years ago for a young adult church conference. The dialogue is between a co-ed couple contemplating matrimony in their near future. The majority of my 2 presenters have recited this pre-marital dialogue at various venues. Namely, Christian settings, at birthday ceremonies, during marriage counseling sessions and also just for fun. Even married couples have recited this revealing heart-felt Christian exchanged while renewing their marriage vows.

My scripture references selected are taken from I Corinthians 13:1-13 for Male Voice (MV). And I used the Book of Matthew for the Female Voice (FV). What I tried to accomplish was to allow Biblical scripture verses to “talk” to each other. This idea was deposited into my holy spiritual memory bank in 1975, the year I was visiting my mother and step-father’s home in Minneapolis, MS.

“BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE”

FV: Matt. 12:35
The good man brings good things out of good stored up in him.
MV: I Cor. 13:1
(Never the less)…If I speak in tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
FV: Matt. 17:20
I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘move from here to there’ and it will move.
MV: I Cor. 13:2
(But, woman, have you not heard?). If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge and if I have a faith that can move mountains but have not love, I am nothing.
FV: Matt. 19:21
(Well) If you want to be perfect go, sell your possessions, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven.
MV: I Cor. 13:3
(Beloved). If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames but have not love, I gain nothing.
FV: Matt. 5:44 & 45
(Then take this advice) Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.
MV: I Cor. 13:4 &5
(Good advice, because). Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy; it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
FV: Matt. 18:15
(Then remember, my Dear) If our brother sins against you go and show him his fault, just between the two of you.
MV: I Cor. 13:6
(Right, again) Love does not delight in evil but in truth.
FV: Matt. 5:14
(You exude love) You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
MV: I Cor. 13:7
(Love)…always protects, always trust, always hopes, always perseveres.
FV: Matt. 5:13
(Also,) You are the salt of the earth. But, if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?
MV: I Cor. 13:8.
(With love, of course!) Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled.
FV: Matt. 24:42.
(You must) Therefore keep watch because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.
MV: I Cor. 13:8b,
9 &10
(Know this)…Where there is knowledge it will pass away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.
FV: Matt. 18:3.
I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Click  http://www.tgifmasterminds.com every Friday for a new post from The Master’s servant manager…Me!

God Desires To Meet You Through General And Special Revelations

On By SonjaIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Question: Dear Readers: Has God ever imparted to you any general, special or divine revelation? In other words, has He ever allowed you to ‘peep His hold card’? (Meaning: to receive an awe-inspiring revelation concerning things.)

Who am I and what is my real name according to the Almighty?

Many, many eons ago, I was in the habit of inquiring about many, many subjects that my family, friends and professionals could not answer. During that stage of my life, I even acquired a nickname….’My friend, Irma.’ Irma was depicted as a scattered-brain radio personality character that constantly asked her boss several off-based questions. Her questions always solicited a prolonged and robust stream of laughter from the piped-in radio audience and also stay-at-home listeners.

I never liked my nick-name and more times than not, actually, I was ashamed of it. But now that I am older and wiser, and have learned to appreciate other people’s idiosyncrasies (unique, peculiar habits, behaviors, or mannerisms specific to people), I feel blessed to have possessed this characteristic trait.

This awakening came about recently one evening as I was searching my file cabinet, looking for a subject matter to blog about. And guess what(?). I found it!

(The Title For This Blog Was Recently Added) 
"GOD KNEW WHAT WAS BEST FOR ME"

God knew Jesus before He was born, and Jesus knew himself and God before he (Jesus) was born.
"I and My Father are one.  Before Abraham was, I AM. "(John 10:30)

When you know who you are and where you are before you are born, that is called your divine,
eternal preexistence, or having omnipresence.

(If all of this sounds confusing, don't worry.  You will understand it better in the "hereafter".)

Since John the Baptist knew before hand that Jesus already possessed a divine nature, John did not want to
baptize Jesus a 'second' time.  John the Baptist also knew that he, himself, possessed a divine nature, too. 
Scripture tells us that they were both cognizant of spiritual things.  (John 1:4; and 1:23)

God knew Jeremiah before he was born, but Jeremiah did not know anything before he was born;
not himself, not God, not anything.  (Jer. 1:5)  Jeremiah did not have a divine nature when he was first 
born.  He had to be 'born again' to receive it. You read about him receiving his new birth in Jeremiah 1:5-10.  
Being 'born again' means to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

A person's first birth is a water birth.  The second or new birth (regeneration) is called a spiritual
re-birth or a spiritual awakening...your divine nature.

Abraham received his second birth in Genesis 15:6.  When it happened, Abraham understood
it fully and because he was willing to 'believe' God to the max, God accounted it unto him as
righteousness.  (Abe was around 75 years old at that time.)

HOW TO RECOGNIZE A GENERAL REVELATION VS A SPECIAL REVELATION:

  1. Identify your situation by specifically naming it. Put it on the alter. Ask the Holy Spirit to also include anyone else that might be in the same boat. Return often to your prayer closet.
  2. Keep notes on your progress. Try to gather specific spiritual advice from on High.
  3. Remember in order to conquer your watery dilemmas you first have to step out of the boat.
  4. Begin matching Scripture with your notes. This will lead to identifying general from special revelations.
  5. Your general prayer concerns will soon turn into specific special prayers of thanksgiving.

My daily prayer (sample) for all those who are carrying heavy burdens:

Dear Heavenly Father, Your holy word is truly like a sledge hammer that is able to crush rocky boulders in pieces. Therefore will You please clarify the holy Bible scriptures to me so that I can clearly distinguish between the commands of God and my own interpretations. Help me to carry out the message of Your Word with great responsibility and deliberation. As one of your children, I ask these blessings in the Precious Name of Your Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, my Lord and my Savior. Amen

God’s Account Of Creation, Conduct And Consequences

On By SonjaIn Uncategorized2 Comments

What do you see as you gaze upon the above picture. Or perhaps I should ask, what do you hear. I’m at a loss to what that kid in front of the line is asking that young girl. And what type of tree is that? Are there more people in line, but just out of sight. What’s going on???

As you know, the title of this WP blog is “Conversations With God Using Scripture.” And the majority of my submissions to this blog post reveal my encounters with the Holy Spirit while ministering on International missionary trips and serving on many other biblical assignment duties I have held in various Christian churches.

However, for the past few months, my Christian duties have seemingly been directed towards participating in the services of a prayer warrior. An array of several seasonal sicknesses attacking members of my immediate family; dear and beloved friends seeking solace, advice and comfort; news worthy and tragic public events demanding words of comfort and constant prayer,.

HELP! HELP! HOLY SPIRIT! PLEASE INSTRUCT ME ON MY MINISTRIAL ROLE IN THESE MATTERS!

It was at that moment as I cried out when I felt a warm breeze flow through my office. Seemingly, a deafening hush came over me and the entire atmosphere in the room. Strangely, even the clock stopped ticking. And the light bulb in my office desk’s lamp grew brighter. I sat very still and waited.

THE ANSWER TO ALL YOUR QUESTIONS, MY FRIEND, IS IN THE ABOVE PICTURE OF THE CHILDREN WALKING UNDER THE TREE.

THE PERSON WHO IS MOST TROUBLING ON YOUR HEART IS NAMED JASON.  AND THE MEANING OF HIS NAME PROVIDES THE EXPLANATION OF YOUR MISERY.

THE NAME 'JASON' IS THE GREEK FORM OF JOSHUA.  IT MEANS HELPER; DELIVERER; HEALER;                          HE WHO SUCCORS; (He who runs to or is in a hurry to get God's message out);                                                                             HE WHO CURES; JEHOVAH DELIVERS.

So, once again I cried out to the Holy Spirit to enlighten my darkened mind as to which biblical scriptures I needed to discern His truths about these troubling matters. Suddenly, I was reminded about the Bible Study Class I had attended earlier that day at church. It was from 2 Corinthians chapters 5, 6, 7. The invisible messages from these 3 chapters are Become Repentant, Be Reconciled, and Be Resurrected.

Please, look at the above picture again through Apple blossom God-fearing eyes. The beautifully created strong green tree represents God the Father, standing above his creation. The ‘Born-again’ sinless/people/children of God are descendants of God’s Son, Jesus Christ (instead of Adam and Eve). Everyone is marching in step with Christ who died and rose again for them. And the child marching backwards at the front of the line represents the HOLY SPIRIT who is keeping a sharp eye on everything. AMEN and AMEN.

I guess all God wants me to do is to keep praying…keep trusting…and keep it REAL

PRAYER DON’T FAIL ME NOW!

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God Is In The Fire Of Your Wilderness

						

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News Flash! Before a person comes to God, he or she is poor in spirit.   WHO KNEW?  You knew! But perhaps you failed to connect the dots.  Remember the initial sin committed by Adam and Eve as recorded in Genesis of the Holy Bible.  Well, whether you believe that story or not, every person born after that couple inherited their sinful nature.  What this means is that all people are wandering around in life, doing their own thing.  Confused.  Wasting time, money, resources, strength, and health.





Thus every person is extremely poor in spirit.  BUT WAIT!  Will they eventually ‘see God’?










Now, I’m no biblical graduate nor Biblical Scholar, I’m just say’n.  I prayerfully read God’s Word, I study, I communicate with the Holy Spirit, I am born again and I’m a witness that God answers prayer.  So, as much as I could understand about this subject, God allowed me to receive and blog about it.





In my research, I learned that it helps if you think on this subject in three parts: (1) The Israelites Exodus from slavery in Egypt led by Moses through the wilderness.  (2) The Believer’s Exodus from sin led by Jesus Christ and His death, burial and resurrection on the Cross.  (3) And the Promise Land (Heaven) that flows with milk and honey.





So, I repeat…Before a person comes to God, he or she is poor in spirit. And again I ask the question…Will he or she eventually see God?





……….THE COME TO JESUS MOMENT………AND THE ANSWER IS………





YES! because in all of thy getting, (and if they live long enough by the grace of God), and through all of their setbacks, one day they will surrender.  That will be their day of reckoning.  That day is when they will be receptive to the Word of God.  So far, they have been in the wilderness of life.   Now, they are ready to come out of their wilderness or thought pattern.





But first, they must realize just who was always in the wilderness with them anonymously.  God was always with that person, but God did not show himself.  However, now that the person is ready (has come to himself), God will show himself.  For God blesses the meek by attending his ear towards them.





Now the question is, HOW will God show himself!  God will surely show himself within a Burning Bush.  The burning bush represents all the troubles and riotous living and bad mistakes that person has endured.  The Fire within the bush is the Mighty God.  Burning brightly…but not consuming it.





God is going to require the sinner man (or woman) to approach him, but first the person must take off their shoes.  Take off Satan.  Get off following the path of error.  WHY?





Because now they are standing before God…standing on his path called Holy Ground.  God instantly changes the person’s name to Moses which means he has been drawn out of the waters of confusion.  (In scripture, water represents trouble.  Jesus conquered water by walking on it…putting it under His feet.





God is in that wilderness that we all go through, but we just don’s see him.  We cannot see him as long as we allow ourselves to be slaves to the devil (darkness).  We must come to realize that when the scales fall from our eyes and we see God, we become somebody.  We can say, “I AM somebody in/with Christ Jesus!





Since God and Jesus are ONE, all God has to say to Moses (us) is ‘I AM who I AM.  (I Am the Father and I Am the Son.)





So now that the sinner man is barefooted (has put off error) and standing on holy ground (God) before a bush (his troubles) that is on fire (the 3rd Person of the Trinity), but not being destroyed (the bush is not consumed because trouble will always be with us ), now the sinner man who has been brought into the Light is ready to receive his assignment and to begin to work for God/Jesus/ the Holy Spirit instead of Satan.





YOU ARE NOW HEAVEN BOUND!            THAT PLACE WHERE JESUS IS PREPARING FOR YOU AND ME





AMEN AND AMEN!





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God Empowered Me To Take A Risk For The Kingdom

						

				On  By SonjaIn Building Spiritual Bridges, Mankind's Relationship With God, Prayers For Spiritual Growth, Uncategorized2 Comments			

					


		

			

The Blog post that I am presenting for this week is a reprint of my original WP public submission on April 18, 2019. God only knows what awesome and blessed experiences I was privileged to witness and participate in as I served the people (mostly children) in an orphanages in Hanoi, Vietnam. 





It is my sincere desire to someday revisit that part of the world to see just how far The Good Lord has brought his precious little ones.










                                                             Beautiful Hanoi Children 





COME, take a stroll with me down memory lane.  I want to revisit with you a memorable conversation I had with the Lord while on an international 7-day mission trip to Hanoi, Vietnam  in 2013.  In retrospect, God caused me to realize that Vietnam is a country whose wheels turn more slowly; patience and perseverance and resilience among travelers and visitors are the key; being flexible; and finally, understanding that time is not money…relationship-building is!





The mission trip had been organized by Buckner International, a world-wide humanitarian organization that establishes, operates and funds orphanages in many countries all over the world.  Our mission team consisted of just eight dedicated travelers on a maiden voyage to Hanoi, Vietnam.  Our mission was to deliver new shoes, a few personal items, and some school and medical supplies to the abandon children, at the orphanage, many on the side of the road.  We were also to teach English as a second language, and serendipitously instill the love of Christ to all persons we met along the way.





Reprinted below is my conversation with the Lord about an assignment given to me by our Buckner tour guide.  Realizing that the people of Hanoi, Vietnam believed in Buddhism, I was surprised when the Holy Spirit led me to deliver our group’s private morning devotions from Acts 19:10.  You see, I knew that our permanently assigned Vietnam government officials (who holstered two guns and a rifle) who shadowed us everywhere we went, would be in attendance.  And Buckner officials had been forewarned not to apotheosize while in the country.





Well, after being reassured that it was permissible for our group to hold private prayer meetings in our hotel during breakfast, I further questioned the Lord as to why he wanted me to present the gospel from Acts 19, knowing that a Buddhist believer would be in attendance.  I asked the Lord why He had in a dream forbidden Paul  to preach the Word in Asia and instead to go over to Macedonia .  Was it because of Confucianism and Buddhism which had been worshiped in that region long before Jesus Christ was born.





The Holy Spirit convicted me that I was wrong in my query.  Paul would later preach throughout all of Asia (see Acts 19:19), (which Vietnam is a part of) and lay the foundation for such a time as this.  Furthermore, I had no idea what God was up to.  He actually told me, My child, this trip is not about you, but about what I am about to do for a Buddhist believer in your mist.  All you have to do is trust and obey.





Blog N. Viet Nam 5















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God…Are You Listening…We’re Ready To Hear

						

				On  By SonjaIn Growing In The Lord, How To Witness To Others, Prayers For New Beginnings, Prayers For Understanding, UncategorizedLeave a comment			

					


		

			

The above title has been the pronouncement directed to the Holy Trinity by every Baptized Believer, every person of faith, and yes, by even you and me, more likely at the beginning of every new year. Did you know that such a pronounced statement denotes authority.  So, for your information, a new year (2026) has arrived and is in a position to provide hope, gloom or doom.  BUT WILL IT?  IT WILL NOT! 





Can you guess WHY?





Because as soldiers in God’s army, there are obligations and preparations that we, ourselves, must provide.   





It’s called WWJD!  What Would Jesus Do.





If you are like me, seemingly every day so far in this new year, total strangers felt led to approach me and engage me in conflicting conversations concerning the state of the USA union and other upsetting conversations that are voiced on local news outlets.  This would often happen while I was engaged with my own personal activities. 











I'm trying to get a relaxing pedicure. Congregants sought my opinions after church services! I was sometimes engaged in conversation while in my exercise class.  And, boy, was I surprised to learn how much interest the young people had in politics and current events. Go figure!!!





May I direct your attention to a paraphrased version of Matthew 10:2-10 (…as Jesus speaks to his original twelve disciples.) They, too, thought they were ready to hear what thus says the Lord.





“There shall be no gold, silver, or copper to fill your purse, no pack for the road, no second coat, no shoes, no stick…(WHY?)…the worker earns his keep. Or perhaps “I” should say, the worker (indubitably) MUST earn his/ her keep!





In other words, when you are asked by anyone to stand in the gap (or shoes) for the SON of God, be sure…be very sure your opinions reflects the mindset of Christ Jesus.  That is, having the wisdom of a serpent (Like Matthew 10:16 puts it) in order to survive as a sheep of the Father in the midst of ravenous wolves. Therefore, it is imperative when you pray about current events and life issues at the beginning of a new year, in general to remember what Jesus has promised already that “Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you”.  John 16:23. 





Click  http://www.tgifmasterminds.com every Friday for a new post from The Master’s servant manager…Me!


			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
God Is An Awesome God…Deferred Help Concerning Sordid Things, Part 2

						

				On  By SonjaIn Growing In The Lord, Prayers For Healing, Prayers For Understanding, Scriptures For Biblical MaturityLeave a comment			

					


		

			

I hope your 2025 yearend holidays and your 2026 New Year’s Celebration were fulfilling!





Also, here’s hoping you will start your day with some joyful and smooth Holiday music. Just click the scene below, sit back and enjoy! After being filled with ecstasy, click it off and return to reading the Part 2.










Last week, on Friday, December 26, 2025, I printed Part 1 of this saga and sent it along your way by mode of WordPress. To refresh your memory, scale down to the bottom of this blog page to the word “Related” and click the title for Part 1.  





TITLE:  Buried Sordid Memories Exhumed (Continued from Part 1)

The first few lessons were conducted on our street.  Mr. Wilson would allow me to drive about five blocks up to the elementary school's parking lot, turn around and drive back, passing my house for another ten blocks in the opposite direction.  All the while, Mr. Wilson would instruct me on the proper driving habits I was to employ:  lower your left arm straight out the window when making a left turn; raise your arm at the elbow when making a right turn; and hang your arm straight down when slowing down or stopping.  Mr. Wilson would always show me how to maneuver my feet on the break, clutch and gas peddle as I operated the stick-shift throttle.  His way of 'showing me' was to place his hands on my knee and apply pressure.

When I would make a mistake such as to cause the car to vibrate because the clutch was not applied properly or to stall out due to the fact that I gunned it, Mr. Wilson never raised his voice to reprimand me.  He just placed his hands on my knee and applied pressure.

In time I learned how to synchronize all the pedals and was actually driving pretty good.  One Sunday afternoon, Mr. Wilson suggested that I continue driving past the elementary school and proceed up the hill towards the baseball park.  This route proved to be somewhat of a challenge for me because of the twists and turns in the steep road.  Fear overtook me and my grip on the steering wheel displayed white knuckles and my upper teeth bit down over my lip with extreme force. My body was rigid and my breathing laborious as I leaned towards the windshield struggling to take each curve as smoothly as I could.

As the road leveled off I sighed with relief and began to relax as I attempted to transfer my right foot from the clutch pedal to the gas pedal.  But I couldn't!  Something was holding my leg in place.  For a half second, I took my eyes off the road and looked down at my knee.  To my surprise, my dress was up around my waist and Mr Wilson's hand was on the inside of my right thigh.  I screamed bloody murder!!

I raised both my hands off the steering wheel and desperately tried to jump out of my side of a moving car.  Mr. Wilson was yelling some words of apology and struggling to get control of the steering wheel with one hand and pulling me back into the moving car with the other.

Somehow, between the two of us, we were able to bring the vehicle under control and I veered off the road and onto the entrance curb of the baseball field.  (Of all the Sunday afternoons, the playing field was empty of any activity.)  I looked over at Mr Wilson and he was crying real tears.  He started talking real fast saying something about being sorry and that all he was trying to do was to help me apply the right amount of pressure to the pedals so as not to burn up his new car.  His display of emotions caused me to believe him at the time.  And immediately I thought that perhaps I had over-reacted and imagined something that did not actually happen.  I adjusted my skirt and we both composed ourselves as we sat in deafening silence.

Finally, I asked Mr. Wilson to drive us home but he insisted that I remain behind the wheel, back the car up and proceed home.  As I drove, he continuously complimented me on my newly acquired driving skills and compared me and my accomplishments with his unassuming and timid wife.  He built up my confidence real good and I began to feel special.  But the payoff was he offered to let me use his car when I went to the DMV office to take my driving test.  He reasoned that I would be more familiar with his car than my dad's car because I had learned on the Chevrolet.  Honestly, I wanted nothing more to do with Mr. Wilson, but what would my parents think if I refused his generous offer.

When I arrived at my front door, I resolved to go into the house with a big smile on my face.  I had already convinced myself that this incident had never taken place.  That nothing had happened out of the ordinary.  Who would have believed me anyway?  (Back in the day, if a neighbor caught another neighbor's child misbehaving, the neighbor had the consent of the parents to discipline that child.)

So my secret remained buried all of these years until now.  Thank you, Ms. Opal, for helping to remove that skeleton from the closet of a frightened teenage girl.













The Holy Spirit Is Upon Me And Has Given Me Peace





The Bible absolutely has something to say about how to overcome past hurts and sordid memories. In 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 you will find the answer. Read it and weep! God sent his Son, Christ Jesus, to take away all miseries and sorrows from everyone who proclaims the Name of his Son and walks in His light. With the aide of the Holy Spirit it only takes one (person) to teach one (another).





There are no ‘big’ sins and ‘little’ sins. And there is nothing you (personally) can do to draw you closer to God.  Jesus PAID it all.   And it is all to Him you and I owe.  The only thing we have to do is to cover ourselves with His pure sinless blood. Remember, even if a wrongful act took the life of someone you knew or loved, if that person was already blood-stained(*) when they died, that is, covered with the blood of Jesus, The Father will welcome them home.





So, now you know.  Start seeing your life through God’s transformation eyes.  Remove your cataracts in both eyes.  Cast your hope on things eternal, on godly thoughts offering freedom from shame and identity tied to past sins.  This process hinges on steadfastness and intentionally dwelling on God’s truth and not on the enemies of darkness and finding freedom from past lies that shaped you, not just the sin all by itself.





(*) NOTE:  Died as a believer in Christ Jesus.





Click  http://www.tgifmasterminds.comevery Friday for a new post from The Master’s servant manager…Me!









			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
God Is An Awesome God…Deferred Help Concerning Sordid Things, Part One

						

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When something is deferred it means that you will have to wait until a future time to ascertain the conclusion of the matter.  So, this child had to wait what seemed like a lifetime.  Below is PART ONE of this blog post.  PART TWO will be featured/printed/posted on JANUARY 2, 2026 





Earlier in my blogging career, I somehow found the nerve and the courage to recall a childhood incident that had haunted my memory ever since it happened eons ago.  So, as I matured in sacred things and acquired a deeper understanding of how Christianity, God and Jesus Christ worked in someone’s life, I would sometimes inquire of the Holy Spirit why had He allowed certain situations to happen in my life.





Now that I have lived to surpass the age of a mid-octogenarian, I have earned the privilege and the maturity to know the truth about a childhood sordid incident that I now can unabashedly(*) blog about.





 





  TITLE:  Buried Sordid Memories Exhumed

 As originally told by the Author of 
"Conversations With God Using Scripture"

What you are about to read, I have never revealed to a single solitary soul.  Dead or alive.  It has been just my sordid secret for these past years and would have remained so had it not been for a single sheet of paper handed to me by my writing teacher.

"I want everyone here in class to look down this list of subjects and select one to write about for our next week's memoirs class," Ms. Opal said, as she personally doled out the assignments to each aspiring writer on that overcast morning in June at Richardson Senior Center Building.

Quickly, I glanced at the list and started to set it aside when suddenly a cold shiver penetrated my body.  I almost dropped dead as I read the tenth writing suggestion.  What's with this, I thought as my eyes focused in on the bold printing on the page.  Cautiously, I allowed myself to peak again at the words which read, "How did you learn to drive?  Describe your first car."

My mind voluntarily began to race backwards:  passing early retirement; passing gainful employment; passing raising two kids; passing ending a troubled marriage; passing various institutions of learning; passing high school senior proms and giddiness and dreams.  Oh no...I'm fifteen again!

I can actually smell the leather upholstery and feel the round glass knob on top of the stick-shift- throttle of Mr. Wilson's newly purchased 1950 black Malibu Chevrolet.  I have to write about my secret incident, I thought, if I am ever going to free myself of the guilt feelings which I had buried in my subconscious mind for all of these many years.

When I was a kid in my hometown in mid-America, my dad promised my brothers and sisters that we could all learn to drive his car when we turned sixteen.  Well, I had an older sister that would turn 16 in one more month.  But she exhibited no interest in learning how to drive.  All she did was study, study, study.  You see she was a junior in high school with only one more year to go before college.  And she was wickedly serious about maintaining her grade-point average and qualifying for nursing school.  I was the second oldest and and in that same year, in November, I turned 15.  But since my older sister had let the whole summer go by without learning how to drive, my daddy would not teach me before her when the following summer arrived.

No amount of begging and pleading would convince my dad to acquiesce and take pity on me.  Finally I appealed to momma, and through her, dad finally agreed to allow our neighbor, Mr. Wilson, to take me out on Sunday afternoons for a one hour driving lesson.  I was so excited because Mr. Wilson had just bought a new-used Chevrolet and his wife was afraid to learn how to drive a stick shift.  This was an opportunity for me to prove how brave I was in everybody's eyes.

    PART 2 OF THIS BLOG "God Is An Awesome God" will be published on  Friday, January 2, 2026





 





(*) NOTE:  Not embarrassed or ashamed about openly expressing strong feelings or opinions.





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God’s Yoke Is Easy

						

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If you had to describe this picture what would be the title?  Seemingly, what is the little boy’s task?





Did you know that in most instances, the word ‘yoke’ is used in a negative terminology?  Yet, our Lord and Savior used it to describe His personality in the following scripture reference: 





The scripture “my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” is found in Matthew 11:30, where Jesus invites weary people to find rest by taking His yoke and learning from His gentle heart.  In other words, God does not allow any situation to get on his last nerve. God promises spiritual refreshment, contrasting His light, well-fitting way with the heavy burdens of religious and political rule (way of life).  





I blogged on this subject a little in last week’s blog entitled “God’s Mode Of Operation — Eternal Tranquility. (Since ‘tranquil’ means only being in a serene frame of mind for a short period of time, the secret of prolonging that frame of mind is to become “YOKED” with God.)







YES! Become yoked with God. Learn of God! Walk closely with God! Wear your Yoke proudly under any and all circumstances! And especially during this Yuletide Season(*), let Mary, the pregnant virgin girl and blessed mother of the Christ Child be your example.







Did you know that many traditions see their local church or the collective Church (the People of God) as a representation or foretaste of the heavenly New Jerusalem described in Revelation, symbolizing God’s dwelling with His people, a spiritual reality that finds fulfillment in the ultimate heavenly eternal city. It’s a concept with varying interpretations, ranging from a symbolic people (the saints) to a future physical place where all redeemed people reside.  Wear your yoke proudly and walk in sync (together) with the Heavenly Father.  God will not lead you astray.





(NOTES:)  (*) Christmas





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