Comfort for Loss

“This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.” I begin each morning with this biblical affirmation from Psalm 118, along with some other proven favorites, and then move into my devotion time. Before Paul went to heaven, these words would slide off my tongue with confidence. Lately, they sometimes want to stick in my throat like a too-large chunk of bread that just won’t go down.

The emotions resulting from loss of any kind, but especially of a loved one, are unpredictable and deceiving. When we think they are receding into the background of our consciousness, they creep up on us and suddenly plunge a dagger into our stomach, leaving us reeling. They sap our strength and assault our thoughts as we desperately search for perspective and order in a life that is forever changed.

This morning, as I read from one of my devotionals, I was reminded that “it is through our trials and afflictions that God gives us fresh revelations of Himself.”¹ But the pain of the loss is unwelcome and my mind and body want to run for cover. Yet Paul says in Philippians 3:10 that he so wanted to know Jesus and the power of His resurrection, that he was willing participate in His sufferings and be conformed to His death. I need this resurrection power, now more than ever, in order to walk through this period of my life.

So I speak the words that open the door of my day, words that hold a promise of hope and peace. Jesus assures us in Hebrews 4:16 that we can come boldly to the throne of grace and obtain mercy and grace to help us in our time of need. As we experience our brand of suffering and yet are willing to give Him our sacrifice of praise, He scoops us up, holds us close, and soothes our pain.

¹ Nathaniel William Taylor in Streams in the Desert

                                                   ©2013 Laura Allen Nonemaker  All Rights Reserved

High Flight

     My dear Paul went home to be with the Lord on Monday, September 16, 2013 during a flight from Johannesburg, South Africa to the U.S. We were returning from a 12-day mission trip with a group of 19 other short-term missionaries.
     During the past two weeks, I have begun the painful process of learning to live without my devoted husband, lover, best friend, companion, and fellow-adventurer. In addition, Paul has been a most enthusiastic cheerleader of my writing efforts.
     Someone mentioned that I should share this sad event on Facebook, particularly for those who may want to know about Paul’s passing. I know we are living in a digital world and “everything” gets out on the internet, but how could I share in such a public way this personally painful event that has changed my life forever.
     Last night, during a particularly fitful, sleepless night, it came to me that God ordained me to be a writer. That is what I do. That is what I need to do, not just for my own need for expression, but also to pass on my thoughts, ideas, and experiences in order possibly to make a difference in someone else’s life.
     That is why I have decided to use my blog, “Digging in God’s Garden,” to initiate some of my memories and musings and funnel them through my Facebook page. It will be a sort of catharsis for me and, goodness knows, I need to get back to blogging with the official launch of Catie’s Secret coming up in November.
     The following poem will, I hope, set the tone for what I share here in the days to come. It is symbolic of the enthusiastic and adventurous way Paul, who was a pilot for most of his life, lived his earthly life and embraced eternal life.

                                                                        High Flight

                                       “Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,
                                    And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; 
                     Sunward I’ve climbed and joined the tumbling mirth of sun-split clouds -
                                  and done a thousand things you have not dreamed of -
                                  wheeled and soared and swung high in the sunlit silence.
                                     Hovering there, I’ve chased the shouting wind along
                                     and flung my eager craft through footless halls of air.
                                             Up, up the long delirious burning blue
                                     I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace,
                                              where never lark, or even eagle, flew;
                                         And, while with silent, lifting mind I’ve trod
                                           The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
                                       put out my hand and touched the face of God.”

                                                                             John Gillespie Magee, Jr.

Benny’s Angel Sequels Coming

As I return to my social media activities with this, my first post in several months, I ask myself, “Where did the summer go?” No doubt, others wonder the same thing, especially youngsters heading back to school.

Time has a way of sliding on past us while we are “doing life”. It began to get away from me way back in the spring, when a couple of unexpected hospitalizations and subsequent doctor visits derailed me. Thank God, the outcome was positive and later on, we traveled up north to visit family and friends. We also enjoyed bringing two granddaughters back to Florida for a couple of weeks.

In spite of all this, my creative juices continued to flow in at least one important area of my writing. I am excited to announce that, with God’s help, I completed two more children’s books in my series, God’s Secret Garden Adventures. The first book, Benny’s Angel, released from Tate Publishing in 2011. Book two, Fred D’s Amazing Escape, will launch in April of 2012. The third book, Catie’s Secret, releases shortly after that.

Children, parents, and grandparents alike have delighted in Benny’s Angel and its charming animal characters. In the weeks ahead, I look forward to introducing you to some new animal personalities that will join existing ones in books two and three of God’s Secret Garden Adventures.

                                                                                                     Laura Allen Nonemaker

The Best Benefit Package of All

It was Christmas evening and we had finished a wonderful dinner at my daughter's home.  My grandson, Brandon, was stretched out comfortably in an easy chair with his feet propped up on the oversize ottoman. Reyna, my six-year-old great-granddaughter, nestled in the crook of his arm, obviously enjoying the security and contentment of being close to her daddy.

Meanwhile, the rest of us pitched in to clear up the dishes. That's when Reyna twisted around to where she could see her grandmother and called out, using the German endearment for grandma, "Oma, thank you for making such a good daddy!" I was amused and touched by Reyna's expression of gratitude for the blessing of her daddy's special love and attention. In her young mind, her grandma was the reason she enjoyed the benefit of a good daddy.

Reyna's comment made me think about how important it is to express my gratitude for the benefits I enjoy. I praise God for the many benefits with which He has blessed me, which include a loving family, provision of all my needs, and a church where I can enjoy God-anointed worship and Bible study. But what if some of these benefits were removed? What if I did not have the resources for some of the necessities of daily life. Suppose I could not worship God or read my Bible openly, as in many countries. Would I still be grateful? Would I still praise God if the benefits I enjoy were restricted or withdrawn entirely?

These days, a chaotic economic environment and forces hostile to our values and beliefs threaten the security of our country and the world around us. Many people are depressed and nearing panic over the changes that are taking place and wonder what the future holds for them. They realize that no matter what benefits are offered by the powers that be, they are subject to being changed or eliminated.

In Psalm 103, I have found some benefits that will not be eliminated. They are not dependent on the whims of those who think they know what is best. They were promised and enacted before the foundation of the world by our Creator. These benefits include forgiveness for ALL our sins, no matter how grievous (v.3); healing and deliverance from destructive bondages inflicted by Satan (v.4); the lovingkindness and mercy of our God (v.4); good things that truly satisfy our body and soul (v.5); a renewal of our body, mind, and spirit (v.5).

As we approach Easter, I thank God for the greatest blessing and benefit of all, the gift of eternal life. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for you and me when He hung on the cross and died for our sins. Have you signed up for the best benefit package of all, one that you can enjoy for all eternity? Have you asked Jesus to come into your heart, forgive your sins, and be your Lord and Savior? If not, won't you ask Him now?

                                                                                                 © Laura Allen Nonemaker

Seaside Surrender

The setting was out of a travel brochure, with waves rolling onto the sun-drenched sand, palm trees swaying in the breeze, and seagulls piercing the air with their shrill cries. It was the annual retreat of the women's ministry at Sundial Resort on Sanibel Island. One hundred women from First Assembly of God, Fort Myers gathered last weekend to reflect, refresh, and connect with God..

The theme this year was "Seaside Surrender" and Pastor Connie had prepared a series of teachings that brought us quickly into the center of what God wanted to do in our lives. She used the amazing chambered nautilus shell to demonstrate what God wanted from us this year. First, she showed us the outside of one of these exquisite shells. Then she held up a cross section of the chambered nautilus, which, true to its name, was divided into many compartments, each progressing in a circle towards the outer opening of the shell.

Pastor Connie explained how the inhabitant of the shell begins as a microscopic sea creature. As it grows, a larger chamber is created to accomodate its size. By the time it outgrows one compartment, a larger one has formed and it moves in. This process continues until it is mature.

A unique characteristic of the chambered nautilus is that each time it moves into a new chamber, the previous one is emptied and sealed shut.That means that it cannot move back into its old residence. It must continue to move forward in its spiraling journey toward completion and freedom.

The chambered nautilus holds a valuable lesson. If we stay mired in regret for the mistakes and pain of the past, we cannot experience living fully and successfully in the present. We are prevented from moving on to the next step in our journey to fulfill the call of God on our life.

Isaiah 43:18, 19 says, "Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth..." NKJV. Only when we willingly and intentionally surrender the baggage from the past can the Holy Spirit heal our wounded spirits and open up the next "chamber" of our life. Then we are free to move unencumbered toward our destiny in Christ.

As we surrendered our hearts to be cleansed, healed and renewed, God gently moved us to a new place in our walk with Him and we were set free to become the godly handmaidens He desires us to be.

                                                                                       © Laura Allen Nonemaker

A Christmas Memory for 2011

Last December I shared a precious Christmas memory from my childhood, helping my father prepare his traditional family recipe for plum pudding. New readers can refer to my archives if they would like to read that article.

This year's special memory is of the first Advent season I spent at Mount Saint Agnes Academy when I was ten. In what I call a mysterious move by God, I was enrolled by my Anglican father and Jewish mother, neither of whom attended any religious services, in a Catholic school. It seems that when they married, they agreed not to impose either of their religions on my brother and me. We learned respect for God through our nightly prayers with our mother, but we did not have a clear understanding of who Jesus was.

It was the custom during Advent for the nuns to give us each a flyer containing directions for making a "crib" for Baby Jesus It listed various prayers and recitations, each of which represented an item needed to prepare a baby's bed. For example, the mattress might be ten Our Father's, the sheet might be fifteen Glory Be's, and the blanket ten Hail Mary's. In addition, there would be a pillow and a pillowcase. As a child who had never been exposed to any details of the Christian faith, I was absolutely fascinated with this ritual. I was to have the honor of preparing a crib, in reality my heart, where the Christchild would be welcomed.

Now, as an adult, I believe I know why this so appealed to my young spirit. Through this symbolic exercise, God was giving me a tangible point of contact to begin to place my faith in and build  my anticipation for the One whom I would eventually receive into my heart as my Lord and Savior.

Praise God for the mysterious ways in which the Good Shepherd leads us into His fold.

                                                                                     Laura Allen Nonemaker

Benny's Angel Available Now!

Exciting news! Benny's Angel: A God's Secret Garden Adventure is available now at the online bookstore of Tate Publishing. In this colorful picture book written by Laura Allen Nonemaker the adventures of whimsical animal characters teach children the value of prayer and the importance of trusting God.  You may order now at http://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=9781613460092 

A Father's Legacy

It might have seemed more logical to post this a couple of days ago. However, this morning is when this reminiscence materialized and so today is when it posts.

I was musing about my compulsion to organize just about everything. Where does that come from? Is it a good thing or not? My reflection led me to the conclusion that my intense desire for order must originate with my father. Daddy was the rock of my life when I was a young child, almost like “God” to me. Of course, that was before I met my heavenly Father. Daddy was a strong and honorable man in many ways – in his values, his work ethic, his integrity, and his protectiveness. He was also regimented in everything he did. For example, he performed activities at consistent times and kept appointments on the dot. He wanted tools and utensils stored in a particular location, drawers completely closed, and cabinet doors shut tight. He wanted his world in order.

The difficulty was that my father’s expectations of others were just as high as those he placed on himself and he was sometimes controlling. In the vernacular of Queen Victoria, who was still reigning during his early childhood, Daddy was “not amused” when the rest of the family did not comply with his preferences.

As I reflect on his background, it is not hard to understand why my father had this tendency. He grew up on the island of Bermuda, in the military environment of the British Naval Dockyard. His mother died when he was a small boy and his father, who was a military man, raised him, a brother, and a sister, with the help of a much older, extremely bossy sister. When Daddy reached his teens, he joined the merchant marine and went to sea. I can see how the loss of his mother interrupted his young life and subsequent influences taught him strict regulation and compliance with authority.

Since Daddy was a strong influence on my life, I also grew up with a striving for order. It is a blessing sometimes and other times a curse. The blessing is that I am able to organize my thoughts and my written notes well, which is invaluable to me as a writer. Also, my desire for visual order and tranquility helps me design a pleasant environment in our home. However, like my father, by nature I like others to see the world as I do, which can be a recipe for disaster. For instance, sometimes I think activities should be done at a certain time and in a certain order. I struggle to be open to the suggestions of my husband, family, or friends who may have a different view on the situation.

Fortunately, I have learned that God is ever willing to teach me how to let go and let Him deal with those around me. I thank my earthly father for his legacy of order and structure for my life. I  thank him also for giving me a reason to reach out in prayer to my heavenly Father for help.

                                                                        

                                                                       ©2011 Laura Allen Nonemaker

Lesson from a Fearful Feline

When worry and free-floating anxiety assault us, it is crucial to reject them immediately. In most cases, what we worry about will never happen and worry won’t help anyway. Instead, it can keep us from dealing with the situation in a balanced, decisive way. Anxiety is definitely not from God. It saps away our productivity and joy and is a frequent tool of Satan. It can enlarge into a phobia that traps us in a fear-filled world and limits our contact with others.

A story is told of the cat that disappeared from home. One day it returned, only there was something different about it. One side of the wayward feline was completely devoid of fur. There was nothing but bare skin. Something else was strange, too. While the cat previously spent most of its time outdoors, now nothing its owner did could coax it outside. If he tried to pick it up and put it outside, it bit him.

A short time later, the cat’s owner was sharing the situation with his neighbor. “I’ll bet I know what is wrong with your cat,” he said. Then he told him about a snake called a pine snake that emits a scent similar to catnip. When a cat smells it, the snake opens its mouth wide and swallows the animal. “It sounds like your cat ran into a pine snake,” said the neighbor.

The encounter with the snake so traumatized the cat that it decided that going outdoors was not safe. The same thing happens to  some people. Because of a traumatic event, they decide that a certain person or place is unsafe and they wall themselves in.

The Bible tells us in Philippians 4:6 that we are not to be anxious about anything, but in everything turn to God with thanksgiving and prayer and he will provide the peace we seek. We are to pray and turn the situation over to God, and then trust him to work it out.

                                                                                                   ©2011 Laura Allen Nonemaker

Discipleship and the Kingdom Life

Too many Christians live in a state of nagging angst, longing to experience the abundant life spoken of by Jesus in John 10:10. They reach intermittent high points of victory along their Christian walk but frequently exist in emotional and spiritual doldrums. They are missing the inner joy and fulfillment they long for.
 

When we consider those who have fulfilled a God-ordained destiny, such as a Mother Teresa or a Billy Graham, it is tempting to assume that some divine force field dropped over them that protected them from emotional and spiritual  fluctuations. The truth is that usually we see only the high points in the lives of these disciples of Christ. We are not privy to the behind-the-scenes struggles they faced as they lived out their calling. Hidden from our eyes are their Gethsemane’s, when they chose to lay aside their own desires to submit fully to God’s will.

Matthew 6:33 reads, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (NKJV) The last thing the enemy of our soul wants is for us to grasp fully the connection between first living a discipled life submitted to God and experiencing the abundant life. He does not want us to make the daily sacrifices necessary to follow Christ faithfully and without compromise. He waves earthly pleasures before us and goads us with our own desires for gratification until  the goal of kingdom life is a hazy blur.

Sally Hill, author of Living from the Life of Christ, says, “To be a disciple is to be devoted to Jesus Christ in total abandonment to His purposes for your life.” Discipleship requires that we be willing to subvert our own desires and inclinations to God’s way of doing things. Romans 14:17-18 tells us, “...for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.” (NKJV)  When we make the daily choices to live God’s way in front of God and man, we are true disciples. This is the kingdom life, which is the abundant life Christ promised.

                                                                                                            ~ Laura Allen Nonemaker

I Had No Idea!

With the observance of Good Friday, reruns of The Passion of the Christ, produced by Mel Gibson, are being shown on television. I am reminded of my reaction to it when it first came out in the theaters several years ago. I always react emotionally to depictions of the passion, whether in the movies or live theater. It  was particularly difficult for me to watch this extremely graphic portrayal of our Savior's scourging and crucifixion.

We had taken my Aunt Gertie, who was 90 and a recent Jewish believer in Yeshua, to see the movie. She had become a completed Jew just three years earlier.  After many years of praying on her behalf, the veil had been lifted, and she sought answers from me concerning Jesus and my faith in Him. When I explained the plan of Salvation, she embraced it whole-heartedly and with joy. Now she was being confronted with a detailed visual account of His passion and it shocked her. After watching it, she exclaimed, " I had no idea He went through all that!" Two years later, Aunt Gertie went to be with her Messiah. She now knows in full the significance of the price He paid for her to be reconciled to God and gain entrance into her  heavenly home.

The suffering that Jesus endured was brutal. Yet He did it willingly and laid down His life for us. The most dramatic demonstration of the goodness and love of God is the sacrifice that Jesus made to deliver mankind from the penalty of sin. This same gift of forgiveness for sin and joy in heaven for all eternity is available to all who will acknowledge their need of a Savior and ask Him to come into their life.

                                                                                                   ~ Laura Allen Nonemaker

From Glory to Glory

Looking in the mirror this morning, I saw a face that is changing daily, and with increasing speed. It is not that I am neglecting my appearance. Anyone who would dare to peek into our bathroom could tell that from the full basket of “jams and jellies” sitting on the vanity. However, in spite of my best efforts, time is leaving its indelible imprint on this pot of clay.

I am reminded of when my dear mother came to visit some years ago. I was in my thirties, she in her sixties. We were preparing to go out to dinner and she looked with dismay into the dresser mirror and said, “Oh, Laura, where has the time gone. I look so old.” She fussed with her makeup.

“Here Mummy, let me help.” I picked up the eye shadow and applied the light blue pigment to the lids of her azure eyes, still her most striking feature. “I think you look beautiful,” I said, and gently dabbed at her fragile eyelids. You will always be beautiful to me, I thought.

Now, many years later, I understand how she felt. It gets more and more difficult to hold back the hands of time.  Of course, that is an exercise in futility, anyway. Because of sin, these earthly bodies are programmed to gradually self-destruct. We don’t live in the Garden of Eden, and our flesh is relentlessly bombarded with free radicals and countless other substances that age us.

Increasingly, I find myself looking for encouragement to the passages in the Bible that speak of the blessings promised to us as we grow older. Psalm 92:12 (NKJV) tells us, “The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing.” While I don’t think this passage tells me the lines around my eyes and mouth will disappear, I believe it does say that as I root myself in the Word of God and honor the Lord with my life, I can be an influence for good as long as I live.

I have had the privilege of meeting older Christians who, although their bodies are aging, have a peace and joy that radiates through their eyes and speech. We read in 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NKJV) “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 

My ultimate desire is to lift up the Lord Jesus in all I do and reflect Him to the world around me. As we move closer to that promised time when our physical bodies will be changed into heavenly bodies that will never age or die, may we allow the precious Holy Spirit to transform our spirits from glory to glory.

                                                                                                     ©2011 Laura Allen Nonemaker

Winds and Waves

I have just returned from an inspiring, fun-filled weekend at the First Assembly Women's Ministry annual retreat on Sanibel Island. The theme for this year was "Winds and Waves."

Pastor Connie Weisel used the atmospheric conditions she encountered during many years of powerboating with her husband to illustrate the forces that we all battle emotionally and spiritually from day to day. She described being assaulted by violent winds and waves on stormy seas, the boat seemingly out of control. The disciples had a similar experience on the Sea of Galilee. But when they cried out to Jesus for help, just one command from him, "Peace! Be still!" calmed the rough seas and saved their lives. This same saving and delivering power averted more than one disaster for Pastor Connie and her husband as they faced the raging seas and called out to God in prayer. It is available to each of us if we will cry out to Him from the middle of our storm.

                                                                                                                  Laura Allen Nonemaker

WORDS OF FAITH

       Not so in haste, my heart!
      Have faith in God and wait;
      Although He seems to linger long
      He never comes too late.
                                 ~Torrey