Kim Davis and the God Christians Follow

A Kentucky woman named Kim Davis has been arrested for refusing to issue marriage license to homosexual couples. It was only a matter of time before someone did this. I'm sure many others have wanted to take this stand, but were afraid to. I am totally in support of Kim Davis and her choice to stand by her beliefs. I believe that if anyone at any job is asked to do something that contradicts their belief system, they should find another job. 

 

That's human nature and common sense.

 

Kim Davis is wonderful and brave and I admire her for standing up for what she believes in. 

I do wish there was more talk of WHO she believes in. That is what will make her time in jail worthwhile.

 

As is usually the case in situations where Christians take a stand, much has been said about Kim Davis and little about the wonderful God she serves...a Lord and Savior who changes lives and has the power to forgive sin and offer eternal life in heaven.  

 

We have heard much about Kim Davis, but little about the God she loves enough to go to jail for. 

The God being depicted in the news is hateful and spiteful and uncaring but Christians do not follow an uncaring, hateful, spiteful God.We follow a LOVING God who sent His one and only son to die so that anyone who believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. We follow a LOVING God who delivered the Israelites time and time again despite their lack of gratitude, disobedience, and grumbling against Him. We follow a LOVING God who washed the feet of the man who would turn Him over to be crucified.  We follow a LOVING God who will heal and restore and give the promise of heaven to ANYONE who believes and follows Him...no matter their life story.

 

The God we love, follow, and serve is not hateful or mean. Our God is a LOVING Father who sets rules in place to protect His children from pain and from harm.... Just as I set rules in place for My children to protect them and keep them from harm.....Just as most all parents who love their children do. (And, most children rebel against those rules because they do not understand the reasons for them.) 

Kim Davis is wonderful and brave and I admire her for standing up for what she believes in. 

I just wish there was more talk of WHO she believes in. 

THAT is what will make her time in jail worthwhile.

Brandon Ms, How Great Thou Art

 

Last Friday, Brandon’s high school band was told by the court system they could not play their halftime show. The show that the have worked all summer to perfect includes the hymn “How Great Thou Art” and they were told that if they played it, they would be fined $10,000. So…they didn’t.

Brandon is our neighbor city and the Bulldogs are our greatest rivals, but we found absolutely no joy in the situation they found themselves in. At our game a few towns over, what was going on in Brandon was the topic of conversation. How sad and frustrating for the students who’d practiced so hard for so many months to no not be able to perform. Would the same verdict have been handed down if a Christian group complained about some other type of song? Will the Brandon band be forced to change their show for competitions or are they only forbidden to play at games? Are they only forbidden to play in Brandon…or in Rankin County School District? Can they play at away games?

Shortly after Halftime, we all started to get messages on FB and via text telling us what was going on in Brandon. If you haven’t heard or seen it on the news,  it is better that you see for yourself…

 

This is what happened at Half Time... Click the link

Brandon Ms How Great Thou Art

I am so proud of the way the fans chose to take their stand. I am so proud of the Bulldogs for the way they chose to make their voices heard. I don’t know how this will play out. I hope that the other Mississippi schools make a point to showcase the Brandon Band at their games, if it will not more negatively impact Brandon.

At this point, many are standing with the Bulldogs. On the way to work I saw several cars with “How Great Thou Art” painted on their back windshields and the thought that occurred to me as I sat in traffic was simply…

“Do you realize how great He truly is?”

I pray that the citizens of Brandon Mississippi and the students of the Rankin County School District will continue to stand in a manner that reflects the God and Savior they represent. I pray that the School Boards and legal systems will see that there are still professing believers in Jesus Christ and that, while we are not as outspoken and loud as the groups that oppose our Savior, we also have a voice. I pray that it is made abundantly clear that we believe that the only way to heaven is through Jesus Christ and that the only alternative to belief in Christ is eternity in hell. I pray that it is made abundantly clear that our only objective is to share the message of Jesus Christ so that every person we meet has the opportunity to choose to follow Christ...or not to. We want to make sure that everyone has that choice, just as we have the choice to follow or not to follow Mohammad, Buddha, or any other god, profit, religion, or doctrine.

How like God to use a court order against Christians to spread His name and His message. How like God to use this to unite Christians and give them courage to take a stand? I hope and pray that this story will continue to  spread. I am interested to see how it all shakes out.

 

Until then, I am one of the...

 

 

 

No Matter What Tomorrow Brings...

So, I go see Doc for my annual “let’s see if the cancer is back” check up tomorrow.

I made this appointment months ago and have fought everything in me not to cancel it several times each day over the past few weeks. I’ve often said that I should have let the Preacher make the appointment and then have him tell me the day of the appointment rather than have it hanging over my head for months. The anxiety is almost unbearable. .  If it goes well, I will celebrate 4 years cancer free on the 31^st. If it doesn’t go well, I will be plummeting into the valley again.

 Logically, I know that everything is fine. I have no reason to think that Doc will give me anything but good news. The cancer shouldn’t come back. We caught it early. Attacked it and for 3 years I have been cancer free. Logic tells me that going to the see Doc doesn’t make me sick. Either I am or I am not. If I am, I need to be treated. If I am not, I can stop worrying. I know all this and tell myself this over and over every day. Problem is, my fears and feelings are not logical.

I am hoarse again. People…complete strangers… have been asking about my voice. My neck hurts and I feel…unwell. No matter the physical things I can notice or imagine to give me anxiety, there is one question that is near to sending me over the edge.

What if it’s back?

What if it is? What am I going to do if he says there is something he’d like to take a closer look at? What am I going to do if he gets that look on his face that reveals more about his concern than his words do? What am I going to do if it’s back? Whether I like it or not, it could be. Every time the thought “what if it is back” crosses my mind, my chest tightens, I get sick to my stomach, I have a hard time swallowing or breathing, my ears ring, my heart races, my head swims. Cancer is a vicious nasty monster and the treatments to keep it at bay are not much better. I do not want to face it again….but there is always a possibility that I might have to.

So today, before tomorrow, I need to decide how I will handle it if my visit with Doc does not go like I want it to. I am tired of just being anxious. It is time to address this and figure out how I really feel about it all.

I am standing on the edge of the cliff again. Before me lies a dark valley full of shadows and unknown dangers. Behind me is my normal happy cancer-free life. Tomorrow, one of two things will happen. Either I will turn from the valley, step away from the ledge, and return to my happy, normal, cancer-free life OR I will close my eyes and leap off that ledge into the darkness of the valley below, knowing that my Savior will be there waiting to catch me…just as He was before.

I suppose things are the same as they were the last time I stood here. I do not want to have cancer again. I do not want to revisit that valley. BUT if God entrusts me with this battle yet again, I will fight it. I know that He will not leave my side. I know that He will carry me when I am weak and weary. I know that He will put people in my path who need to see more of Him and who need to know Him. I know that all things will work together for good, because I love the Lord. He has a plan and a purpose and I trust that his plan is best.

I don’t know what else to say about this. I just wanted to record my thoughts today…before tomorrow…because I really am expecting Doc to give me the all clear and a high five and I will go home feeling like all is right in my world again. It’s so easy to say I trust God’s plan when it agrees with mine. I need to say today that I trust His plan no matter what it is. I will follow Him into the valley if that’s where my life will bring Him the most glory and I will serve Him cancer free if that is where my life will bring Him the most glory. Either way, when it is all said and done the only thing that will matter is that I serve the one who saved me...and I will do that no matter what tomorrow brings.