A Personal Bit of Information

"...Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light." See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.
Ephesians 5:14-21

The Women at the Well Ministry came about as a result of several things. One of them being I am that woman at the well. Having 5 husbands, living in sin, but saved, redeemed, forgiven and healed. My last husband, Larry, was a godly man who went home to be with Jesus in 2000 the day before our 4th wedding anniversary, and exactly 1 week before his 59 birthday. But husband #4 was abusive. He professed Christ, but lived otherwise.

Two days ago my dear friend, Cheryl Williams went home to be with Jesus. I loved Cheryl. Today I learned husband #4 passed just away too. My time with him was one of the roughest times in my life. It was another time that the Lord saved my life allowing me to get away from him safely. Although I was no longer in love with him I continued to pray he would find true peace with Jesus. I don't know if he did.

Sometimes in situations like this we can still feel loss and abandoned when we hear of a death of one who has played an integral part of our life. It can be a trigger for pain of those who were supposed to be there for us and love us but didn't. They could have left us through death, desertion or emotional absentee. Whatever the reason for our feeling abandoned, it could throw us for a loop hearing of the death of someone close. And maybe they weren't that close to us. It's the fact of a permanent separation. Questions unanswered. Love unfulfilled. For those of us who have abandonment issues something like this could shake our world. It does not have to!!

Your focus, just like mine, should be on the now and Jesus. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. For those that love Jesus, He will never leave us nor forsake us no matter the reason people leave. Focusing on the King of kings...that's how I choose to process this.

My lovingkindness and my fortress, My high tower and my deliverer, My shield and the One in whom I take refuge, Who subdues my people under me. LORD, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him? Man is like a breath; His days are like a passing shadow.
Psalm 144:2-4

We may not know how long we will be in our present bodies, but we can know in Whom is in control. The Lord is lovingkindness and a fortress. He shields us, as though we're in a protective bubble built and guarded by the Holy Spirit.

Are you grieving over a loss? It could be the loss of a husband, father, mother, child, grandparent, close relative, friend, pet...or the loss of love from a parent, husband or relative or friend. Are you feeling abandoned by a person who neglected to take precious care of your emotions? Did they leave without explanation? Please know that Jesus knows how you feel. He will not abandon you, ever! Has He ever failed you? Has He ever not been there when you needed Him. Don't forget, if there feels like a separation between you and Jeus, you moved away from Him. He will never leave you nor forsake you. He will not abandon you.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:35-39

Blessings,
Barbara