Tuesday’s Faith - Flaming Arrows Amidst Pervasive and All-encompassing Grief

Tuesday’s Faith

…Take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the Evil One.

~Ephesians 6:16 NIV

Flaming Arrows Amidst

Pervasive and All-encompassing Grief

12/24/09

Pervasive and all-encompassing is

Grief, reaching through head, heart, soul, with no relief,

throwing to the ground to pound and pound.

When (I’m) pounded flat, Satan steps in to ground,

ground his lies into my head, heart, and soul,

waiting till they dig a deep-enough hole…

that he can bury me in as if dead…

But Resurrection Father lifts me instead,

then places me under His protective wing,

pours life and hope and health until I can sing

and lift my heart—

“To Him all glory bring!”

Like my child, He frees (me) from Satan!

“Let Freedom Ring!”

******

Run the race set before you with perseverance.

~Hebrews 12:2

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.

Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

~Ephesians 6:10-12 NIV (highlights and some capitalizations mine) (See Eph. 6:14-18 for the weapons of your armor...)

God is strong, and He wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use

...So you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way.

This is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.

Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own.

Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet.

Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words.

Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life.

God's Word is an indispensable weapon.

In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long.

Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out...

~Ephesians 6:10-18 The Message

{To be continued in tomorrow's Wednesday's Woe...}

I do not know Rod Coronado, but I do like his depiction of “Flaming arrows” http://littleblackcart.com/images/flaming_arrows.jpg

Poem - Flaming Arrows Amidst Pervasive and All-Encompassing Grief - Angie Bennett Prince - 12/24/09

Friday’s Faith - The Effects of Grief on the Grief-Struck

Friday’s Faith

The Effects of Grief on the Grief-Struck

The grief-struck has had the bottom fall out;

The foundation’s been completely shattered.

What’s important has been called into doubt

When death’s destroyed one who really mattered.

What do you do when your bottom’s dropped out?

Your emotions shut down, then plummet, then

They take you on a roller-coaster route

To visit memories again and again:

In and out, up and over, through again,

Like a tornado goes through its tail-spin,

But slower, more detailed, ‘nd over again

To rework the pieces of life’s jigsaw,

Each intricate piece with edges so raw,

Could each slice through your heart like a sharp saw.

Your mind so impacted, shifts to first gear,

Attempting to take in factors so drear.

Other factors, it can’t take in, can’t hear;

Th’ cog’s so mired-up, it can’t move past first gear.

If it moves any more slowly, you fear,

It may simply stop, or move to the rear . . .

Going in reverse, (when) it can’t deal w’th what’s here:

It’s stuck in the past as memories appear,

To only ponder thoughts o’ your loved one dear.

“Why can’t you move forward?” folks start to jeer,

Questioning your sanity, (they) start to leer;

The life of th’ griever seems awfully queer:

“It seems you should be done; it’s been a year!”

Then there’s your body; it’s feathered and plucked;

It seems bogged down in the mire and the muck.

Others go to work, wond’ring why you’re stuck.

You can hardly function; they say, “Buck up!

But the hardest part hit is your shot soul;

The bad news has left its gigantic hole.

Satan sends his doubts—they start t’ take a toll:

“God’s your ‘Shepherd’; you’re a sheep in His fold,

but how does this fit with what did unfold?

Perhaps you really were (a) bill-of-goods sold;

Otherwise, why would death-to-yours be doled?

Is this how God answers your prayers so bold?”

God understands (your) questions as doubts unfold;

He hates death ‘n Satan; their end will unfold.

He meets you in (your) grief as it takes its toll,

(He’s) there to love and comfort, (in) His arms t’ enfold.

You fight (Satan’s) arrows, don’t let them take ahold*;

You know your God’s cut from a different mold.

Though Satan often tries to prod ‘n cajole,

You know God gave His Son to save her soul...

Grief strikes emotions, mind, body, and soul;

To all aspects of you, grief takes its toll.

Be patient with yourself as grief takes hold;

Grief strikes pervasive damage (if) th’ truth be told.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth tucked around your waist, with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

*In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Ephesians 6:10-18 NIV

**********

Restoration Time

by Kim Arnold, mother of Katherine Arnold Wolf

We have to love our children enough to let them hate us on occasion. We may have to allow them to think we’ve abandoned them when we haven’t.

Sometimes we may feel as if our heavenly Daddy has abandoned us, as well.

But He hasn’t. It’s just that we can’t always see His heart.

We have to try to focus on the Big Picture. In the end, all will be well. Everything will be resolved. We will understand fully, even as we're fully understood. Until then, we struggle through this mortal existence with partial clarity, doing the best we can with the cards we’ve been dealt. We fall, and rise back up; we’re broken, and then mended.

And, hopefully, we give each other grace. Much, much grace.

I believe there will be healing, restoration, and forgiveness. Where there is dismantling, there will be rebuilding; where there is unraveling, there will be reknitting; where there is separation, there will be rebonding.

***

This is what the Lord says: At just the right time, I will respond to you. On the day of salvation I will help you…

Sing for joy, O heavens!


Rejoice, O earth!


Burst into song, O mountains!


For the Lord has comforted His people


and will have compassion on them in their suffering…

Can a mother forget her nursing child?


Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you! 


See, I have written your name on the palms of My hands…

Soon your descendants will come back, and all who are trying to destroy you will go away. Look around you and see,
for all your children will come back to you. “As surely as I live,” says the Lord “they will be like jewels or bridal ornaments for you to display…

This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “See, I will give a signal to the godless nations.

They will carry your little sons back to you in their arms;


they will bring your daughters on their shoulders…”

(Promises of Restoration, excerpted from Isaiah 49)

Thank you to Katherine’s Mom’s Blog for this portion of her post “Restoration Time.” http://katherineawolf.blogspot.com

http://katherineawolf.blogspot.com/2009/11/restoration-time.html

Poem – The Effects of Grief on the Grief-Struck – Angie Bennett Prince – 1/18/09