Angels Ride the Subway

“See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and

to bring you to the place I have prepared.”

Exodus 23:20 (NIV)

He didn’t look like an angel to me, at least not like any angel I had pictured. He had long dark dreadlocks curling almost to his waist and a red and black bandana tied at the back of his head. His sleeveless jacket was woven with what appeared to be strands of yarn in purple, red, yellow and green. His jeans were thin denim, frayed at the bottom.

I hadn’t even noticed him at first, sitting right next to me. My stress level was a 12 on a 10 scale as I watched the young woman in the next row alternate between leaning back in her seat and then slumping forward, her arms hugging her chest, her eyes closed.

We had been at the Passion Conference in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta when she became quite ill and since I was the nurse with the group, I volunteered to get her back to the hotel. There was only one problem and it was a huge one.

I was not blessed with any sense of direction when I was created. None. I get lost in closets and small bathrooms. Every way I turn is north. Always. And she and I were on the MARTA – the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority – trying to get back to the airport to catch a shuttle to our hotel.

Directionally challenged. On the subway. In a strange city. Mercy.

She motioned for me to lean over and I heard her whisper “You know how to get us back, right Nurse Nancy?” I smiled confidently and said “Of course I do. We are going to be fine.” She leaned back and closed her eyes and I leaned back to find the young man next to me half-smiling. “You don’t know where you’re going, do you.” he stated quietly, not as a question, but as fact. 

“Uh, no. No I don’t. But she is really sick and I have to get her back to our hotel” I told him as I silently prayed “Lord, help us! You know I have no sense of direction! Please get us back!” 

Two minutes later the subway slowed to a stop and I felt panic begin to take over. Do we get off here? Do we ride further? What are we going to do? Suddenly I noticed that the young man had gotten up from his seat and was standing at the door, ready to leave.

But two other things also caught my eye: one, that he was very tall and two that he was motioning with his head that we were at our first stop. I grabbed the young lady with me and put my arm around her as I whispered “Come on. This is where we get off” with a confidence that I absolutely did not feel. We stepped out of the subway and into swarms of people trying to get around us to the seats we had just exited.

For a second time I felt panic begin to creep into my body when I noticed the young man glance back at me and once again nod his head as he walked around a corner. “This way,” I told her but stopped as I rounded the corner and realized there were four possible directions to go in and I had no idea which was the one for us.  

“Lord!” I cried out in my heart and looked to my left. There at the top of a flight of stairs was a beautiful sight: a very tall young man with dark dreadlocks standing still on the first step, as the rush of people flowed around either side of him. And he was looking at me. 

One more nod and I could not help the grin as I mouthed “Thank you” and helped the young woman with me as we followed him down the stairs to the next level in the subway. 

“Wait right here,” I told her. “I want to thank that man who helped us.” But as I turned around, he was nowhere to be seen. Nowhere. A very tall young man with dark dreadlocks, a red and black bandana on his head and a colorful jacket had completely disappeared in a matter of seconds. 

I turned back to the young woman and said “He’s gone! How could he have disappeared like that? He was so tall. I couldn’t have missed him!” We both looked at each other. “An angel. He must have been an angel,” I told her. She nodded. “God took care of us.” But we were not home yet. 

This new level in the subway posed new problems. Which way to go now? The crowd of just a few minutes earlier was gone and we were left standing with only a woman and her baby in a stroller.

“You got us this far, Lord. Which way now? Which way?” I prayed. My answer came in the form of a very tiny lady in a blue shirt and slacks who suddenly appeared in front of me. “Where you goin’ Honey?” she asked. “We are trying to get back to the airport,” I told her. “My friend here is sick and I need to find the right subway car to get her there.”

Her smile was huge as she instructed me “You stay right here, facin’ this way,” she replied. “Don’t move ‘cause this car that’s comin’ is gonna take you to the airport. You stand in this spot you are in now and the doors will open right in front of you.”

            “We are almost there!” I smiled excitedly at the young woman as I turned with an “Oh, thank….” But the tiny lady in the blue shirt who had helped us was gone. We looked around everywhere for her but she, too, had disappeared in seconds.

Would you believe that the subway car opened its doors directly in front of us? Yes, it did. And we were able to get back to the airport, to a shuttle and to the hotel to begin healing about 15 minutes later.

I have no plans to go back to Atlanta and the Georgia Dome any time in the future. But one thing I do know: if I ever ride the MARTA again, God will provide angels on the subway to get me home.

            Father, you are amazing. Being lost in an unfamiliar place may not be hard for some people but it is for me. Thank you for sending help just when I needed it. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

R.A.P. it up

            Reflect

• Have you ever been in a situation where you panicked because you were “lost” as to what to do and received help from a stranger?

Application

• The next time you are confronted with a problem with seemingly no solution, ask the Lord to send help to you and watch as He is faithful.

Power Verses

• Exodus 23:20 (NIV) “See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared.”
• Psalm 91:11-12 (NIV) “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”
• Luke 4:10 (NIV) “For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully;”
• Hebrews 1:14 (NIV) “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?”
• Hebrews 13:2 (NIV) “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.”

More Than Tracking My Journey

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV)

            My daughters and I recently took a vacation together outside the United States. As someone who does not travel anywhere, I thought it was quite interesting – and a bit scary.

            I asked several questions. “What if we get lost? If our first flight is late, who do we tell so we can get to the connecting flight? And if that happens, how will we reach our family to let them know what is going on? Won’t they worry where we are?”

            Questions and worries. Worries and questions. All unnecessary.

            Because just seconds before we were to get on our flight, my daughter’s husband texted “I see you are set to board your plane in the next few minutes.” What??!!

            “He has GPS, Mom,” she smiled at me. “He knows when we are boarding and he will know when we land. He knows exactly where we are.” Seriously? Yes. And, just a few minutes after our plane landed, another text came through. “I see you are on the ground. Have fun!”

            Now, while I find it fascinating that GPS can track our every movement, that’s where the fascination ends.

            Because if I am sick on the flight, GPS can do nothing. If I am sad or discouraged or anxious as I land, GPS cannot calm me or encourage me. It can only track me on my journey.

            I think that is why I love Deuteronomy 31:8 so much. It says “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you or forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

            God Himself has already gone before me on my journey through life. He knows all the ups and downs and every detour in my path. And He will not leave me but instead will calm my fears and encourage me as He stays by my side.

            I need to ask – what journey are you on today? Are you struggling in a marriage with no hope in sight? Do you have a child who knows the right thing to do but always chooses the wrong thing? Have you lost a loved one and find it hard to even breathe?

            With everything in my heart I encourage you to turn your eyes toward the One who is beside you on your journey and who has the answers. He understands. He has been on the path before you and He stands ready to guide you through every minute of every day.

            Call Him by name. Dig into His Word. Again and again God reminds us that we are not just someone to be “tracked” but rather, a child dearly loved by a Father who stays with us and guides us every single day of our lives.

            Father, I thank you so much for never leaving my side and for guiding me each day. Thank you for caring about every single detail of my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

R.A.P. it up

          Reflect

·        Have you ever felt alone in a situation in your life and unsure if anyone cares or if God is even with you?

Application

·        Copy Deuteronomy 31:8 on an index card and keep it in your purse or pocket to remind you of God’s care over you no matter what is going on. This is a great Scripture to memorize.

Power Verses

·        Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV) “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

·        Joshua 1:9 (NIV) “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

·        Psalm 139:8-10 (NIV) “If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”

·        John 14:18 (NIV) “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”

·        Psalm 121:3-4 (NIV) “He will not let your foot slip – he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.”

           

             

           

Never Have I . . .

“Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

Romans 13:10 (NIV)

My grand kids love to play the game “Never Have I” when they go swimming. It’s simple really. One person stands on the diving board, back to the pool. Then he says “Never have I” and states something that he has never done.

For example, “Never have I kicked a dog.” Then the swimmers left in the water who HAVE done that very thing try to swim from one side of the pool to the other as the person on the diving board jumps in and tries to tag them. If he is successful, the person he tags is next on the diving board. If he doesn’t tag anyone, he has to say another “never have I.”

On one hot summer afternoon, eight year old Jude was the person on the diving board. The other grand kids were holding on to the side of the pool, hoping that he would say something they had not done so they wouldn’t have to race to the other side.

Jude, in a sweet little voice, called out “Never have I made someone’s heart feel down.” I smiled as every person in the water swam frantically for the other side. And, yes, Jude tagged one to take his place on the board.

But as they continued their game, it occurred to me that if I were playing the specific “Never Have I” that Jude called out, I would be one of those swimming for the other side of the pool. One of those who has made someone’s “heart feel down.”

Jude has always been very careful to never hurt someone’s feelings. It has happened to him before and he doesn’t like the feeling but he also doesn’t want anyone else to have their “heart feel down.”

 I wish that I could tell you that I, too, am very careful to never cause heartache with my words. But I can’t. I have spoken without thinking or NOT spoken when I should have more times than I would like to admit. Instead of encouraging and building someone up, I’ve done the exact opposite either by my words or my silence.

Today’s Scripture burns my heart. “Love does no harm to its neighbor.” And who is my neighbor? Everyone. Paul is confirming what Jesus said to all of us.

If we love someone, we are going to do everything we can to keep their heart from feeling down. It starts with what comes out of our mouths. And the words we speak from our lips come straight from our hearts.

If I am hiding anger or pride, jealousy or hate in my heart, then my words will reflect that. And instead of trying hard not to make someone’s heart feel down, I will be pushing it down myself!

Can you relate? I imagine that we all can. Either by what we have spoken or when we should have spoken up but didn’t.

My encouragement to you today is to not only stop and think before you speak, but to do that twice before uttering a single word. If we truly love, as Jesus tells us to, we will do everything we can to keep from making anyone’s “heart feel down.”

Lord, my heart longs to be in tune with yours. I know that I don’t always love people like You do. Please help me to love them and to build up rather than tear down. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

R.A.P it up

            Reflect

·                          Look over conversations you have had this last week. How many times have your words been critical instead of loving?

Application

·                          Begin each morning by praying “Lord, help me to love like You do. Silence me when I am thinking of speaking unloving comments.” Practice that every day.

Power Verses

·                          Romans 13:10 (NIV) “Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

·                          Matthew 7:12 (NIV) “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

·                          Matthew 12:36 (NIV) “But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.”

·                          Proverbs 12:18 (NIV) “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”

·                          Proverbs 17:28 (NIV) “Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.”  

Putting gods before God

“You shall have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:3 (NIV)

A glance at the clock as I sat down and opened my Bible for much-needed moments with the Lord showed almost 8 am – more than enough time to dig in His Word before I met a friend for lunch. I looked at the curtains pulled across my door to the deck. “I’ll pull them open,” I thought. “Much nicer to see God’s creation during prayer time.”

And the view was better . . . except for the hand prints on the glass door. Several sprays of Windex and swipes with paper towels cleaned up my view even more.

As I turned to go back to my quiet time, I noticed the cob web. “Good grief! What if someone came to visit and saw that thing hanging down!” my mind winced.

It didn’t take long to remove the offending web but it had friends in the corners of my living room so as long as I was getting rid of one, I decided to clean the rest of the room.

I sat down and picked up my Bible and realized I didn’t have a pen or paper to take notes. As I scooped up a pad of paper on my computer desk, it occurred to me that I hadn’t wished my friends “happy birthday” on Facebook so I took just a few minutes to get that done.

I found a pen in a drawer by the kitchen sink but I also noticed all the dirty dishes so I rinsed them and put them in the dishwasher.

As I sat back down in my chair, I again glanced at the clock and was shocked to see that over two hours had passed since I first opened my Bible for prayer time!

What was more important than a face to face, intimate conversation with God my Father? Clean glass doors and no cobwebs and a loaded dishwasher. I put household chores before the Creator of the Universe. God was not my first priority of the day. To be honest, He wasn’t my first priority at all.

As I sat in silence, one of the Ten Commandments spoke to my heart. “You shall have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:3.

Surely household chores or getting on Facebook aren’t gods? They are simply things that need to be done . . .right? Sure . . . unless. Unless I allow them to take first place in my life.

Now, just to be clear, I know we all have those days when a daughter is throwing up, a son can’t find his shoe and the bus is coming, and the washer is broken  – all BEFORE 8 am. And our only prayer is “Get me through the next five minutes, Lord!” Believe me, I get it.

But if we are continually putting daily activities before the Lord, they have indeed become idols – in other words, gods – because they have taken His place of importance in our lives.

May I encourage you to do a daily heart check? Are there any “gods” in your life that are moving up your priority list each day as your time with the Lord moves down?

If so, decide today – this minute – to re-evaluate what holds first place in your life. If it’s your time with the Creator, fantastic! If it isn’t, see what you can change to make sure you are never putting gods before God.

Lord, with all my heart I want You to have first place in my life. Please show me those things that I need to rearrange so I can spend time with You every day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 R.A.P. it up

Reflect

·                          Look over your last few weeks of being in the Word and having prayer time with the Lord. How many times have you put activities before Him?

Application

·                          Before you go to bed, make a “to do” list for the next day. Rearrange activities to make time with the Lord a priority.

Power Verses

·                          Exodus 20:3 (NIV) “You shall have no other gods before me.”

·                          Proverbs 3:6 (NIV) “In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

·                          Matthew 6:33 (NIV) “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

·                          Colossians 3:2 (NIV) “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

·                          Matthew 26:40 (NIV) “Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. ‘Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?’ he asked Peter.”

New Beginnings to an Ongoing Journey

Hi, it's me, Nancy! I am so excited to be back with those of you who have followed along on my website. To those who are new to my writings, welcome! This has been quite a journey, changing from a website to a blog. It shouldn't have been, though.

Last January I decided to move from a website to a blog to post devotions and Scripture that I had been sharing every week. I had a great mentor volunteer to help me so it should not have taken more than a couple of days at most to make the move. Uh, nope. Not quite.

After an unexpected right shoulder surgery (I am right handed), I still believed I could get everything set up. But something called "Pain from the Depths of Hades" hit me. My surgeon told me that having shoulder surgery was the most painful surgery one could have. I remember looking at his face and thinking "I had three children with NO anesthetic; how painful could it possibly be?!"

HE. WAS. RIGHT.

I'm sorry for ever doubting you, sir.

And then, just as I began to use my right arm again, I was hit with a huge blow. Evidently my body likes to form adhesion's after surgery so I had a second surgery on my shoulder to tear them loose.

But, at last, I am healing. After countless hours of physical therapy at the hospital and now therapy twice a day for a year at home, I can quite honestly tell you that the pain is gone, the blog is getting started, and I am deeply grateful to the Lord for an arm that can once again open the refrigerator door, wipe a nose or pick up a fork.

So many things that I took for granted are now precious experiences for me. And one of those things is writing devotions from the Lord to my heart to yours.

You are invited on this journey with me. I am directionally challenged and get lost in closets and small bathrooms. I really want a face to face with the Lord every day but struggle with a face to face once a week! My goal is to never gossip or be unkind and then I go to Wal-Mart and get in a slow checkout line.

Can you relate?

Come meet me in my War Room as we sink into Scripture and soak up Truth. God is faithful!

Matthew 6:6 (NIV) says "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."