Letter Forty-Three-The Ever Present God

 Letter Forty-Three

Dear Child:

Wherever you go, whatever you do, I will always have my eye on you, and I will always want to be your God.

By the worlds standards I should have given up on you long ago. But the world doesn’t see with my eyes. I see you; I cherish you, and I love you. You are my child – rags to riches, in misery and in money – for all the seasons of your life.

Come to me. Rest in me. I am your safe place. 

Your God,

P Michael Biggs 

Hope~Encouragement~Inspiration

Letter Thirty-Eight on Trust

 THIRTY-EIGHT on Trust

My Dear Child:

This is a hard letter for me to write, but this is important.

Faith doesn’t come with a guarantee.

If you know much about me, you know I am all about faith. It’s been that way since the beginning.

I told Adam and Eve they could eat of every tree in the garden except for one. I gave them a stern warning to avoid the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil. I hoped that they would take it by faith that I meant what I said. That is a dangerous tree and I wanted them to avoid it at all costs.

But they failed the faith test. They chose their own way and took from that tree.

I wanted faith. They wanted selfish desires.

The fruit on that tree looked very enticing, and I knew it would open a door that could never be closed again. I hoped they would take it by faith and obey when I said leave that one alone.

Faith is all about trusting me when you don’t see things clearly or have all the facts. Sometimes I want you to stop, sometimes I want you to lean out, or jump over the edge. You can’t always see the other side, but I want you to have faith in me.

Faith doesn’t come with a guarantee.

I’ll always allow you to make your own choices. If you want to open a forbidden door, you surely may. You won’t always like what’s on the other side, but I’ll let you open it if you choose.

I care and that is precisely why I put up some “Do Not Enter” signs along the way.

I can handle whatever comes your way ... today, tomorrow... forever. Just trust me with a little bit more of your life.

God,

P Michael Biggs 

Hope~Encouragement~Inspiration

When the Heart is Heavy, Then What?

When the Heart Is Heavy, Then What? 

I’m going to talk specifically to those of us who currently have or have had what we might call “A Heavy Heart”. Heavy hearts ain’t no fun, as we used to say in the hills of Tennessee.

I’ve often not known what to do in the middle of my heavy heart moments. Have you? Perhaps you’re going through one of those times even now, in this moment of reading this.

Heavy Heart times are caused by those circumstances in life that just about crush us to death. The load is so heavy, the burden is so awesomely great, and the issue looms very large. We find ourselves scratching our head, wringing our hands, and wondering if God is anywhere nearby and does He hear and see you and me, and even care about what in the world is happening right now, this very minute.

And then some well-meaning spiritual super-power comes along and says, “well, Honey, you just need to pray more.”

Pray? I can’t even tie my shoes for the weight of this “thing” I’m carrying. “Pray” you say. 

Here’s the thing.

When the heart is so heavy, and the weight of the world seems to be resting on your shoulders in the awful times of life, maybe, perhaps, all you and I can utter is HELP! Now I used all caps and an explanation mark, but sometimes it comes out “help”. Or perhaps

H. E. L. P. !

And do you know what? God hears that kind of prayer too. Oh my. Yes indeed.

I’ve prayed that prayer before. Once someone near to me relapsed on a drug addiction that I thought was well behind her. I was so unprepared for that experience. I didn’t know what to do nor where to turn. All I could utter was “help”. (Lower case intended)

Maybe today is the day you pray the most acceptable prayer ever uttered. It’s nothing fancy. It’s not long. It’s not profound. It’s not eloquent. It’s a great cry for the God of the universe to come down and touch you in some unique way that only you need in that moment. It is a miracle prayer of one word, and this one-word-prayer gets attention.

Is your life a train wreck?
Have you made some really horrible decisions?
Is your past about to catch up with you?
Are you in a despicable and deplorably situation and you don’t know which way to turn?

This I know. A prayer like “Help” spoken in great moments of desperation and with a sincere heart gets attention from God himself.

He already knows what you did, or said, and what you are doing or have done. He wants so much for you to turn around and come to Him. He’s listening for your call.

I believe that with my whole heart.

Ann Lamott said this in here book, Help Thanks Wow:

“Prayer means that, in some unique way,

we believe we’re invited into a relationship

with someone who hears us when we speak in silence.”

So, step right up. You don’t have to get dressed up, put on your shoes, wear a necktie or a string of pearls, or even smell pretty. Just approach and say the words as you turn toward God: HELP! Help. help.

I don’t know in what form God will answer, but in time He will answer. It may be through another person, or it may be an idea that pops into your own mind, but God hears.

God hears.

P Michael Biggs

Internet Church Blogsite

Hope~Encouragement~Inspiration

God and Life in These Days

God and Life in These Days

I don’t like much of what is happening in our world today. 

On my bad days, I am prone to flail my arms, curse, get mad or angry, and want to cut people off from my social media feeds.

And sometimes, on these bad days, I tend to forget where God stands in all of this.  Do you relate?

Well, this morning, here is what my spirit is sensing that God is say to all of us. Perhaps you, also, can gain a new footing and a good word of encouragement.

God is saying this …

Isaiah 41:10

Do not fear, for I am with you;

Do not be dismayed, for I am your God;

I will strengthen you and help you,

I will hold you up with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:1-2
“Do not fear; I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you on fire.

Hebrews 13:5

I will never leave you … I will never forsake you.

Psalm 121:2-4

My help comes from the Lord,

The one who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved;

He who watches over you will never

Slumber. He who keeps Israel

never slumbers nor sleeps.

Isaiah 59:1

Be aware, the Lord’s reach is not short,

that he cannot save; nor is His ear

closed to your cries and concerns.

Joshua 1:9

Be strong and courageous;

Do not fear nor be dismayed,

For the Lord your God is with you

Wherever you go.

My friend, hold fast to the promises of God. 

A final word:  In 2 Corinthians 12:9 we read this … “God’s power shows up best in weak people.”  Max Lucado says “God might be looking more for empty vessels than for strong muscles.”

Internet Church Blog Site

P Michael Biggs

Hope~Encouragement~Inspiration

Letter Number Nine ~ A Letter from God

NINE

Dear Child

Do you like music?  I do.  That is why I gave birds a voice, lions their roar and porpoises their unique voice.

To me all of that is music to my ears.

Did you know I have a song that I’d like to sing to you?

It goes like this …

My love is unconditional.

My love is able to overlook all of your past, no matter what it is.

And my love is everlasting.

I am love.

In season; out of season

In the good times and the bad

I am love

I will keep the stars on their path.

I’ll keep the moon and earth in synch, and I’ll do a thousand other things, just because I love you.

Will I ever tire of loving you?

No.

Will I ever fall asleep on the job or take a day off?

Never.

I am on duty, watching, caring, nurturing, calming, twenty-four/seven.

That’s my song.

God

One-Hundred Letters from God,

Offering Hope~Encourgement~Inspiration

P Michael Biggs

From my book – The Letters

Letter Number Eight ~ Letters from God

Letter Eight

Dear Child

You have secrets; stuff you haven’t told anyone else.  I know.

I also know your fears and regrets over some of these secrets.

Did you know that everyone has secrets?  Some are so terrible they don’t ever want to talk about them or think about them.

I’ll keep your secrets for you.  We can talk in total confidence.  You can trust me.  I won’t blab.  I won’t sell your secrets to the highest bidder. 

When you want to talk, we will talk.  I’ll hold your place.

Have you ever considered writing me a letter about your secrets?  Write it, then burn it, flush it, or do whatever you desire.  No one need see it, read it, or concern themselves with your secrets until you are ready.

I have designed you so that sometimes a good unloading is good for one’s soul.  That unloading can come through human-to-human contact, and it can come through purging your soul by writing your thoughts. 

Either way, I’m listening.

I’m good at keeping secrets.

God

One-Hundred Letters from God,

Offering Hope~Encourgement~Inspiration

P Michael Biggs

From my book – The Letters