With Jesus, everything is possible. His outreach started with one!
Misery, according to Webster’s Dictionary, means a state of ill-being due to affliction or misfortune or a feeling of intense unhappiness.
Everyone, at sometime in their life, experiences misery. It’s never welcome and definitely never fun, but it happens. For some, such intense unhappiness causes a total change in personality; a withdrawal from the normal activities of life.
Regardless of what causes the misery; a loss of a loved one, loss of a job, a wrong choice – whatever, it is real – emotionally and physically real. The overwhelming feeling of loss or failure can cause shame - a painful emotion resulting from an awareness of inadequacy or guilt.
Misery can lasts a few days, a few months – and sometimes for years. It’s a journey though a dark tunnel where the only light is from a pin hole! But it doesn’t have to last forever, and it doesn’t have to be a time to forget. It should be a time of learning and expanding the level of faith one has in their Lord and Savoir, Jesus Christ.
We were never promised a continual rose garden – along the way there will be thorns. But the question is “Do we live with the pain of the thorns, or do we pull them out and let the wounds heal? Healing means recognizing the source of the misery and accepting the grace of Jesus Christ for the victory.
Through the misery, we do find our ministry. Or, the ministry we have grows stronger and reaches more people than ever before. It expands our compassion and strengthens our determination to comfort those who are experiencing a similar tribulation.
For those in the midst of the misery, it is hard to hear the words, “I know what you are going through” from someone who has NOT experienced it. Only a person who has been through your misery can honestly say, “I have been there and am now an overcomer!”
Overcomers are victorious – they pulled out the thorns of their misery and birthed a ministry to reach just one with their message of hope.
Everyone has a ministry; an outreach to help another person. Just as Jesus went to the cross for just one, our ministry can help just one.
As I wrote that last sentence, the lyrics from a song written by Babbie Mason titled “Each One, Reach One” comes to mind:
But each one can reach oneAs we follow after Christ we all can lead oneWe can lead one to the SaviorAnd together we can tell the world that Jesus is the wayIf we each one reach one
Through our misery we DO find our ministry. We do not have to live in a state of ill-being due to affliction or misfortune or a feeling of intense unhappiness.
And our ministry can start with one -- not elaborate or worldwide – it can be one person offering words of hope and compassion to another.
With Jesus, everything is possible. His outreach started with one!
© Nancy Carey
Author: My Sister My Hero Cathy Porter Ms. Wheelchair Maryland 2007
www.nancycarey.com
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
An Addicts Life
I confess … I have an addiction. And NO, I do not need help to quit because I don’t want to.
In 2001 I got hooked – completely. It wasn’t a slow addiction – but immediately took control of my life. Day after day it consumed me. I couldn’t escape its control – the more I resisted the more control it took.
I didn’t feel trapped within the addiction – but felt exhilarated by it. The joy it brought me was incredible. And, not only me, but all who benefited from my addiction.
Wonder what my addiction is?
I’ll give you a few hints:
It is a life changing habit.
It costs money
It consumes my time
It brings great joy
That’s a few of what it does … now here are a few of what it doesn’t do …
It doesn’t destroy the body
It doesn’t break the law
It doesn’t separate families
It doesn’t require I hide it
What is my addiction? In a moment, but first …
I’ll also confess that I am addicted for life – and no one can send me to rehab. Since it captured my life, I’ve become a different person. I’ve changed – I’ve learned that without it, life would be dull and boring.
OK … I’m ready to reveal my addiction …
Ready … here it is ….
SCRAP BOOKING … GOTCHA!!! You thought it was something completely different, and harmful.
Yes, the addiction changed my life. And not only my life, but the life of my family and friends. Since 2001, I’ve created over 50 albums of life memories; cherished events of the life of the Carey family. And each month as I add the precious events to the pages of my albums, I thank GOD for his revelation of this habit for photography and writing. Pictures and stories combined create the whole story of the Carey family. I treasure these albums and know one day they will share the story of how much Nancy Carey loved her family. And without wondering who she was, or what she loved to do, they can simply open the pages of the albums and see for themselves.
SO … there you have it! I’m addicted to Scrapbooking and proud of it. Now I wouldn’t suggest you become an addict of anything – but scrapbooking, now that is an addiction everyone can live with.
© Nancy Carey
Author: My Sister My Hero Cathy Porter Ms. Wheelchair Maryland 2007
www.nancycarey.com
In 2001 I got hooked – completely. It wasn’t a slow addiction – but immediately took control of my life. Day after day it consumed me. I couldn’t escape its control – the more I resisted the more control it took.
I didn’t feel trapped within the addiction – but felt exhilarated by it. The joy it brought me was incredible. And, not only me, but all who benefited from my addiction.
Wonder what my addiction is?
I’ll give you a few hints:
It is a life changing habit.
It costs money
It consumes my time
It brings great joy
That’s a few of what it does … now here are a few of what it doesn’t do …
It doesn’t destroy the body
It doesn’t break the law
It doesn’t separate families
It doesn’t require I hide it
What is my addiction? In a moment, but first …
I’ll also confess that I am addicted for life – and no one can send me to rehab. Since it captured my life, I’ve become a different person. I’ve changed – I’ve learned that without it, life would be dull and boring.
OK … I’m ready to reveal my addiction …
Ready … here it is ….
SCRAP BOOKING … GOTCHA!!! You thought it was something completely different, and harmful.
Yes, the addiction changed my life. And not only my life, but the life of my family and friends. Since 2001, I’ve created over 50 albums of life memories; cherished events of the life of the Carey family. And each month as I add the precious events to the pages of my albums, I thank GOD for his revelation of this habit for photography and writing. Pictures and stories combined create the whole story of the Carey family. I treasure these albums and know one day they will share the story of how much Nancy Carey loved her family. And without wondering who she was, or what she loved to do, they can simply open the pages of the albums and see for themselves.
SO … there you have it! I’m addicted to Scrapbooking and proud of it. Now I wouldn’t suggest you become an addict of anything – but scrapbooking, now that is an addiction everyone can live with.
© Nancy Carey
Author: My Sister My Hero Cathy Porter Ms. Wheelchair Maryland 2007
www.nancycarey.com
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