Be Prepared

"Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let your hands not be idle, for you do not know 

which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well."

 - Ecclesiastes 11:6

**Photography by Melissa Talbot**

Be prepared for - life, the worst, and the unexpected. We're told to be prepared for the things that life, undoubtedly, will throw at us. Always wear clean underwear in case you're in an accident, get vaccinations when travelling overseas, and keep an emergency kit in your car. With all the things we're told to do to be ready for, can we really be completely prepared?

Over the past couple weeks, the news channels have been reporting the occurrences of natural disasters including hurricanes Harvey and Irma, earthquakes and flooding. There seems to be no shortage of calamity. From Texas to Puerto Rico, Cuba to Mexico, people's lives were taken and changed by what was happening. There are places still without power and folks with the inability to return to their homes due to the devastation these catastrophes left behind.

While it's a scary thought to be caught up in something like a hurricane or earthquake, modern technology has enabled us to be better prepared in the face of mother nature's hiccups. Through the use of sattelite tracking and other early warning systems, oncoming peril now gives us clues to when and how severe they will hit. However, there is no way to be fully set for something that may take your life, home, or family away in a matter of minutes.

I try to be as prepared as possible in my life. I get my car serviced at regular intervals, always have extra food on hand in case of emergency, and get a yearly medical exam to maintain good health. Yet, it's the day to day stuff that catch me by surprise that can't always guarantee readiness. Like getting a flat tire or splashing spaghetti sauce on an outfit right before I'm ready to head out the door. There are just some things that happen beyond my control.

There is a book in the Bible called Jeremiah. Jeremiah is a prophet who was given the task to go into ministry and turn around a wicked group of people. He felt totally unprepared when given the task but went ahead because God promised to give him the words to say and provide protection and guidance. In the first chapter of the book, God encourages Jeremiah to, "Get yourself ready!..." (1:17) and to prepare for what lies ahead.

Jeremiah was faced a lot of rejection, abuse, and peril during the decades of his ministry which would make anyone faint of heart. Poor guy. However, because he knew God and God's Word, Jeremiah was more than ready to take on what would be cataclysmic and greatly discouraging. He had gathered information, knowledge, and wisdom to get him through all the difficulties he would face while travelling the long road God had for him.

As a Christian woman, I value and depend on the wisdom found in the Bible. I used to depend on my own thoughts and information when faced with a misfortune and things didn't usually turn out well. It seemed that every situation I tried to overcome became insurmountable. There was, often, a period of time when I tried to figure out where things went wrong.

Now that I have my own emergency preparedness kit, in the Bible, life has been easier. It doesn't mean that I have been without difficulties, loss, and heartbreak, but it has meant greater knowledge and information in order to be ready for the unexpected.

There will be mishaps in life and missteps along the way but the information and wisdom I've gained from spending time in the Bible has been invaluable. Applying what it says to my life has equipped me with courage, strength, and perseverance when the storms of life come, which, they will.

Encouragement for the week:

Do you know of someone who was a victim of the recent hurricanes, earthquakes, or flooding? Have you asked them what their emergency readiness plan was when they found out the disasters were coming and how much time they had to prepare?

There is no promise of easy sailing in our everyday lives. Sometimes disasters are predicted and others just happen without warning.

If you are a Christian, you know the importance of being ready by reading the Word of God so that we may be prepared for the things in life, both expected and unexpected. Keep digging deep into the Word for the wisdom, knowledge, and information that will enable you to be ready for anything that comes your way.

If you are not a Christian, you can look for Jesus and find Him. He is the source of great wisdom and knowledge that will help you to be better prepared for the difficult events in life that will come. He will enable you to come through them with peace and hope.

The Final Frontier

**Photo courtesy of www.google.ca**

Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before (Source: Wikipedia).

Many of you are familiar with the above monologue that plays at the beginning of each Star Trek movie/episode. They're the taglines that cause us to know, immediately, this famous cult classic that has been a favorite for decades.

Man has spent a lot of time and energy exploring the outer reaches of the universe. The most famous endeavor being the lunar landing by Apollo 11 on July 20, 1969. Since then, missions to Mars and other outlying planets have been investigated/attempted.

There are mysteries in the galaxy that we just can't explain, like a black hole. NASA has described it as follows: "A black hole is a place in space where gravity pulls so much that even light cannot get out. The gravity is so strong because matter has been squeeed into a tiny space. This can happen when a star is dying. Because no light can get out, people can't see black holes. They are invisible." (Source: www.nasa.gov)

Even though invisible to us, black holes do exist. They are a complex phenomenon that have been studied and sought after by scientests and star gazers alike. Even the sci-fi starship Enterprise searched for and, dangerously, encountered black holes whilst fulfilling Starfleet missions.

As a Christian, I wonder about a lot of things that exist that I haven't seen like black holes, the Milky Way, and heaven. Even though I have heard of these things and read about them, there still lies a curiosity in seeing each one with my own eyes.

I'm not sure if I will ever lay eyes on a black hole or the Milky Way, but believe I will see heaven. There's a book in the Bible called Revelation that gives a sneak peek of what to expect from heaven. In Revelation 21, it describes heaven on earth. A place that, "...shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal." (Revelation 21:11)

It will also be a spectacular dwelling where, "There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain,..." (Revelation 21:4). A destination that, I imagine, will fill the senses and leave me in awe. All that I have read about heaven doesn't compare to how it will be when I see it. Much like it may have been when Kirk and his crew of the starship Enterprise explored the expanse of the universe and boldly went where no man had gone before.

Encouragement for the week:

Even though there are things we can't see, we know they exist.

They are incredible and baffling and lead us wanting to know more.

If you are a Christian, you know that though you can't see God, you know He exists. He's present in everything that surrounds you and within your peaceful heart. God's Word continues to be a true and wonderful source of understanding the unknown and unseen. Be sure to spend time, each day, in the Bible.

If you are not a Christian, look for Jesus and you will find Him. Even though you can't see Him, He is as real as if you could and He's ready to welcome you into His family.

Understand, You Do Not

**Photo courtesy of www.google.ca**

Star Wars is, perhaps, the most popular and iconic sci-fi movie series of our time. If you are a die hard follower of the Star Wars franchise, you are familiar with the many characters that remain beloved to you today - Han Solo, Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, and Chewbacca, to name a few.

My favorite character was Yoda. A...creature of odd proportion, Yoda always knew what to say. He was considered to be exceptionally wise and, at times, spoke in a backward fashion, completely understood by those who knew him well. Skywalker would, often, seek Yoda's wisdom about a variety of predicaments that, young Luke, would often find himself in.

When I first started watching the Star Wars films, Yoda was a bit of a conundrum to me. At times, I didn't fully comprehend him but, over time, and having watched subsequent episodes, came to fully understand Yoda's 'ways'. Dare I say that I started speaking backwards while attempting to duplicate Yoda's voice. Don't tell anyone.

While it was over time I eventually figured Yoda out, there are things in this world that perplex me. Like the uncommon use of common sense, using anonymity to bully, or advocating violence while promoting a 'worthwhile cause'. These, along with so many other things, cause confusion and defy logic.

Growing up, one of the greatest things I didn't understand was God. To me, He was wrathful, distant, and poised to punish. An up-in-the-clouds deity not at all interested in the things that were causing me pain, depression, and anger.

It wasn't until much later in life that I became a Christian and entered into a personal relationship with God. Only then, did I come to fathom all the things that had, once, been pre-conceived as a young woman. Like thinking God was angry all the time and only interested in doling out discipline when, in fact, God was love and there was no denying it once I felt it for myself.

Then, there was the misconception that God had no interest in me or my life, until I spent time with Him. Now, I have come to understand that He's interested in even the smallest detail of every area of my everyday life. It's interesting how confused we can become when we don't take the time to really get to know the source of our misunderstanding.

Now, I can say that many things in life make sense because of the time taken each day to get to know God and His perspective on those things. The world and how it changes also makes more sense because of the time spent in God's Word, the Bible.

There is a book in the Bible called Jeremiah that speaks of a wonderful promise: "...In days to come you will understand it clearly." - Jeremiah 23:20 (NIV). A reassuring promise that, even though I may not understand something in this exact moment, I can look to God, asking for knowledge and understanding, and He will help me figure things out.

I am thankful for this kind of help and wisdom when it comes to navigating life. No matter what the situation, whether I get everything sorted out or not, God will help me and...understand, I will.

Encouragement for the week:

Understanding the difficult things in life can, sometimes, be elusive but with time, knowledge, and careful thought, those things can become less difficult.

With God, it's not so much that I need to comprehend everything in my life as much as it's knowing it's okay if I don't.

If you are a Christian, you know the importance of understanding the true character of God in order to comprehend the daily challenges we will encounter. Keep leaning into Him and He will help you to understand.

If you are not a Christian, and you struggle to understand some things in your life, look for Jesus and you will find Him. He will help you along the way to understand things from a more wonderful perspective than you have ever known.

Not So Fast!

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, 

and where thieves break in and steal." - Matthew 6:19

**Photography by Melissa Talbot**

Sometimes I do things impulsively or because of external pressure, having given little thought to whether or not this 'thing' is good for me. Then, there are times I say things that haven't been properly filtered through my heart, ensuring they are spoken in a spirit of love instead of hurt.

Since becoming a Christian, over ten years ago, I like to think that I have made some progress in these areas, with God's help of course. That I do unwise things less frequently and speak more lovingly because there were years in my life that I operated without any kind of social filter and, who knows, the hearts I damaged. The verbal hurt on others was a direct result of my own pain.

Relationships, especially, can suffer the collateral damage of hurtful things done and said by each person. Words spoken while hurting or frustrated can, often, be like a battering ram to the other person now, blindsided, by something completely unexpected. It can be as easy as an off mood or a frustrating work day that can open the gate to verbal assaults.

I have been there both in friendships and relationships, especially with my words, which always seem to wound more than actions. Elevated emotions are my usual trigger to saying something never intended to hurt. But it isn't long before I feel the sting of regret and act quickly to apologize and make things right. Hurtful words can come from a hurt heart and that's why careful thought and time need to be taken before speaking.

There is a verse in the Bible, within the book of Romans, that talks about the importance of not following what everyone else in the world does but being, instead, someone different. It says: "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." (Romans 12:2)

Ultimately, it's saying to think differently in order to operate differently. To take something insincere and turn it into compassionate, before the words ever leave your lips. To have your thoughts reflect wise actions, beneficial to both yourself and others.

I am thankful and find it refreshing that, with time and some careful thought, my mind can be used to think of others before myself. That my words can be carefully weaved together to bless and encourage others.

There are so many things in the world causing us to say, and maybe even do, things that we wouldn't normally. Things that bring us to extreme emotional heights, resulting in a spewing of critical and hate filled vocabulary. Things that, if we decided to turn our minds away from its negativity, would allow us to renew our minds, adjust our filter, and aim toward that which is good.

So, if you know someone who might lack a social filter, be patient and kind. Words and actions of compassion toward that person could be life changing, for both of you.

Encouragement for the week:

Are there some areas of your life where you need to take extra time to think things over before doing or saying something? We know the popular acronym 'THINK', can help us when we're stuck for what to say:

T - Is it true?
H - Is it helpful?
I - Is it inspiring?
N - Is it necessary?
K - Is it kind?

If we change our minds, our hearts will follow, helping us make better decisions.

If you are a Christian, you know the dangers of being of the world. Be on guard by being renewed and transformed of mind.

If you are not a Christian, look for Jesus and you will find Him and all the ways He will help you in thought, word, and action for a good life.