The Rocking Chair

Proverbs 13:19 “A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul…”

Years ago, I had shared with my husband a desire for a chair to go in the corner of our bedroom so that I could get up each morning and have a special place to have quiet time with the Lord. We really couldn’t afford one during those days but it was one of those things we added to our wish list. 

One day while my husband and I were walking in the neighborhood, one of our neighbors was having a yard sale. It was late in the morning and we figured she would be wrapping up but we stopped by anyway to ask her how she did. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a rocking chair that would be perfect with a nice slipcover. 

I asked her if that chair was for sale and she said, “yes, it is only $10 (definitely in my budget).” She went on to say that she was glad it hadn’t sold because she had mixed feelings since it had special meaning. She said she used to rock her babies many nights as they were growing up. The right arm rest was a little worn where she had held her children against the arm of the chair. I told her what my intentions were for the chair. I shared that I would spend my mornings in my quiet time with Jesus. This made her beam with gladness.

Her chair that had given so many years to nurturing her children would now comfort me as I sit alone with my Father. And my Bible rested perfectly on the right arm of the chair where her children’s heads rested for many years. 

Life for life. 

Such a little thing as a rocking chair that would bring such “fulfillment of the souls” of God’s children.

Connie B
1998
Author of Her Broken Wing

Angels in the Block

“being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ..” (Philippians 1:6)

Both of my parents and both of my children are gifted in a form of art. They can look at the canvas and before long a beautiful masterpiece has been created. They knew all along how their work would turn out but as a spectator, I just watch in amazement as the work is revealed in a slow, sometimes painstaking way.

Michelangelo lingered before a rough block of marble so long that his companion remonstrated. In reply, Michelangelo said with enthusiasm, “There’s an angel in that block and I’m going to liberate him!” Oh , what abounding love would manifest itself in us toward the most unlovable—the most vile—if only we saw what they might become and in our passion for souls we cried out, “There’s the image of Christ—marred, scarred, well-nigh obliterated—in that dear fellow, and I am going to make that man conscious of it.” (Author Unknown— book, His Victorious Indwelling.)

In God’s perfection, the only painstaking process is when we try to help Him. 

Maybe we should leave the strokes  of God’s hand to Him as He reveals the beauty of Himself through us. 

What is your art strokes going to look like today?

Connie Barris
2006

Are You A Lighthouse?

Are You A Lighthouse? 

Jesus said,”I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life. “  (John 8:12)

I love lighthouses. There is something very special about its peacefulness amid a sailors worst storm.

As a child, growing up around the ocean, I was enamored by the stories of lighthouses and how they guided the sailors and their ships through treacherous waters to safety. 

I have had friends in my life that have come and gone for but a season. Some stayed for a life time. Their beaming lights have guided me to new paths I might not have otherwise traveled. They have taught me love in a way I might not have otherwise experienced. 

When I am in troubled waters, I can experience peace, strength and guidance in knowing God and Him wanting to show me the way. When I see a lighthouse beacon cast her wide circle of light, it reminds me of God’s radiant love that surrounds and embraces me. God invites me into the light that leads to everlasting life. 

As a Christian, I can be a lighthouse to those traveling through troubled waters. 

Connie Barris
2005

Checkmate

“It is finished .” (John 19:30)

As a little girl, my dad taught me how to play chess. We used to play for hours. As long as I heard the words “check”, even though I was discouraged and very easily could lose the game, there was still a chance. And there was, at times, a painstaking ‘silence’ as the opponent thought and strategized. But once the words, “checkmate” were declared, I knew the game was over.

In chess, checkmate means the player who’s King is checked then has to make a move, which gets the king out of check or he forfeits the game. 

When Satan saw Jesus dying on the cross, he yelled out to God, “check”!

In a loud voice Jesus cried out, “it is finished”. (John 19:30) as He was dying on the cross a horrific death.

But Jesus did not die with a whisper like one who is on his knees admitting defeat, begging mercy for an enemy. Instead He shouted, “It is finished “ like a champion who had won the final battle with the enemy. It is finished is the cry of our crucified conquering Lord.

Silence…

Three days later, God yelled out “checkmate”. The game is over

God wins!

In Christ,

Connie

2006

When The Rain Comes

“…… I have called you by by your name, you are mine. You are precious in my eyes, because you are honored and I love you…”
(Isaiah 43:1)

As I looked outside that particular morning, it looked like rain. Dreary. It resembled my life lately. Cloudy, dark, uncertainty.

Broken would best describe it…

A friend,,,,once said,”You are in a good place.” He meant, I was right where God wanted me. However, not what I wanted to hear when I was hurting. As a matter of fact, I think it made me angry at my friend, the world, life’s circumstances and yes, even God. It made me cry. The blubbering, snotty, chest heaving and ugly cry.

Time passes and I look back.

Now I can sit and smell it… The rain…The unperfumed pureness of my Father reminding me that His rain falls on us all. The just and the unjust, those who love God and those who have rejected Him. Those hurting and those who are broken.

Brokenness reminds me of the drowning man. The ideal time to save him where he doesn’t drown both the person making the effort to save him and the drowning man is when he is about to go under“……Otherwise, he will fight in his panic. Both shall perish.

Am I living as a broken man, living ready, reaching up to grab the arms of Christ as He calls my name?

All of us. This Reminds us of His promise of love.

My Beloved

Are you A Recovering Pharisee?

Remember Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer? And the misfit Toy island? 

The island consisted of goofed-up, imperfect, and flawed toys because they “didn’t fit” in. 

Churches should hang a sign above their church doors that reads: “All misfit toys welcome here!” The goofed-up, imperfect, and flawed by sin are welcome here. 

In the Bible the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus asks Matthew to follow Him. Matthew was a total misfit. No one cared for the tax-collector. They were dishonest.  But when Jesus invites Matthew, he gets up and follows Jesus. Leave’s everything behind. Matthew a pharisee. A sick Pharisee. (Matthew 9:9)

Does your church consist of strict, legalistic behavior as that of a Pharisee with rigid, religious rule-keeping—theology totally empty of love?  There is no love among the Pharisees, just laws.  Laws without love. 

Jesus heard the Pharisees question why He was hanging out with sinners, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.”(Matthew 9:12)

“I did not come to call the (self-)righteous, but sinners.” 

I am not saying to give out free passes to go on out and sin. No. There are natural consequences of our behavior. But who are we to judge (Matthew 7:1-2)? Love them.

Gosh guys, church is not for the perfect. We don’t need to pray for torrential hail storms or floods or pandemics or whatever. 

We don’t stop bleeding before we go to the emergency room!

In fact, God delights in working through outcasts and misfits!

As the friend of sinners, Jesus Himself became the ultimate outcast!

Are you a misfit or a pharisee?

Connie

Praising in the Hallway

Psalm 130.5 “ I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.”

My dear friend and mentor called me yesterday and we were talking about where God has us. Some frustration on both ends. We said I guess God has us both in the hallway. 

As a woman having a baby, the doctor say’s don’t push! But the urge is strong and she wishes to push. Same as waiting in the hallway, we want to open the door before it is time. Same as it will be premature and there is a reason not to have an untimely opening of a door. 

What does all this mean?

Why hallways? Why must I wait on God’s timing?

God has a way of managing our life when we hold onto the hem of His garment. 

A hallway is temporary not a place to stay. Especially, when I see a door ajar. 

There are hallways in everything  such as Homes, offices, churches, even life….

 Hallways help protect us. Such as life. 

Hallways can be a hope of things to come. Hold on, friend. You will not be in the hallway forever. Your time will come. God is about to open a door no man can shut. Savor our time in the hallway, for the next phase maybe good, not so good or indifferent. But know It will bring us closer to Him. 

What have we learned in the hallway of life?

Waiting is not a sign of laziness. Nor has God left us. Are we ready for what is behind the door? Is God developing and maturing us to be ready for our next journey?

In waiting we learn, to “be still and know God” Psalm 46:10

Until God opens the next door, praise Him in the hallway.

Blessings

So Dark but So Good

1Peter “ He himself bore our sins” in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness;” by His wounds we are healed”.

Jesus endured the cross on Good Friday, knowing it lead to His resurrection, our salvation, and the beginning of God’s reign of righteousness and peace.

Good Friday marked the day when wrath and mercy met at the cross. That is why Good Friday is so dark and so good.”

The rain falls on the righteous and the unrighteous.

.Am I a wilderness Christian that will never experience the promise land? What is my fear of pursuing the land of milk and honey? Do I feel obligated or true passion?

What about this new generation Christian? Will they ever understand a Promise Land Christian?

Do I know the extent to which Jesus sacrificed Himself? How he died? That his death was historically one of the cruelest most tortured deaths a human could face. Do we know that? Our minds can’t mentally think of this cruelty because it isn’t normal. Why didn’t Jesus stop this? Because that was His purpose! He came to die that we may live…. It was cruel, bloody and nasty.

I spent 40 years in the desert before I finally made it to the land of milk and honey. Sadly, I didn’t know or maybe I chose to ignore God’s love then and now. I vacillate some days based on how life is going. How I am handling life. How life is handling me.

My resurrection came during a time of brokenness. In a dark time of fear, hurt and immense pain,The lose of a friend through death. Through hurt and. Through a season.

Will I step back into the wilderness or choose the promise land? Will Jesus’ death be in vain? Am I victorious or am I a victim?

And now I sit in silence waiting for that glorious resurrection!

Connie

Jesus knew

How ironic Holy Week is. How sad but glorious. How promising. And How much love is poured out!!! 

All in the name of us prodigal children. 

Jesus’ back bent carrying the cross that we made Him carry. And yet Jesus said (Matthew 11:29) “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble…” His pain for our pain. 

Jesus ultimately carried the heaviest load, not just the cross but my sin.

Love that’s truly cruciform, is truly vulnerable enough — that the heart gets hurt.” Ann Voskamp (Sam)

I know what Holy Week means. Well on paper. Do I truly feel the emotion? The pain? The love? 

I’ve read the book. I know the ending. It would be a sad story without us knowing the ending. Spoiler Alert- Christ wins!

So reading further, it says Jesus walked into a realm of submission and surrendered to His Father. “Thy will be done…” (Matt 6:10) God let Jesus lay down His own life to bring us home. Gods Only Son. What love!

Jesus knew. 

It was an emotional gloomy week. He knew what awaited Him.  

I’ve had enough situations in my life that i had dreaded only to find out the outcome was worth it. Like my first day of sobriety. Thankfully, My life was saved through an intervention. But it saved my life. What if my life had not been spared? Would my purpose have been thwarted? How about those times where I eventually led someone to You, oh Lord and the time I baptized my mom. What would have happened if I had not been here? That may not even be the reason or my purpose. Maybe I will never know!

Like wise, what will my life ask of me?

I hear many times in the healing rooms, some of my hardest days will  come during my sobriety journey. I think about the disciples and their life sharing the love and resurrection of Jesus. It wasn’t easy.

I’ve seen myself get off the floor from fighting on my knees through prayer. I have laid prostrate begging to get sober, as well most days now on my knees having an intimate talk with God.

I just need to pick up my cross and walk. My God awaits me.  He is my love.

Oh yes, life is still out there!

She’s Back

Hey y’all. Yep, a little Georgia goes a long ways.

.For all of you readers and those that have left comments, I apologize for my absence. Like really absent! It’s been over a year and I am itching to get back in. So thank you all that have left comments. I will be more interactive. So bear with me as I get started back.

grace and love