Thank you so much for visiting (and revisiting) this site! I hope that you will peruse the pages and that you will be encouraged and inspired to know and love God and His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Word that He has bequeathed to us for our guidance.
I have been away a lot for the last few years, especially the latter part of 2022 and into this summer, caregiving for my mother who has now passed peacefully into the presence of her Lord and Savior. Even after much suffering in this world, she was gracious and faithful in every way. I am most richly blessed for having spent this valuable and meaningful time with her. I will never be the same. For those still in caregiving responsibilities, please read on.
It has not been easy on body or spirit to see firsthand the degeneration that evil brings upon our human bodies as we age. We live in a severely broken world and we feel its effects daily. None more than in the tragedies of life, of failed mental health, of failed bodily health, of deep and painful loss. The injustice of it all is searing. My own health has been challenged during it all. But! . . .
I have also witnessed the very authenticity of my faith in Christ! This has only made me more sure of all that is written in His Word and of what is written in these blog entries. He is faithful, and He is true. He is all love and, true to His Name, He is “Emmanuel”—God WITH us!
Because of His great love we are never alone, never without comfort, never without hope. What is it that the Apostle Paul said?
8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:8,9, 16-18
I have seen quiet submission to unearthly pain at the mention of Christ’s suffering on the cross and His Resurrection to life eternal—God’s love coming before us, being WITH us, and bringing us hope for life with Him ahead.
I have seen joy where no joy could ever have seemed possible, laughter even.
I have seen answers to prayers that were not as earth-shattering as a wholesale cure for dementia, but were soul-comforting in the small things that mattered, such as a moment of lucidity and clarity in sharing wisdom and grace or in remembering a long-forgotten memory that comforted, or the fact that she never forgot my name. Mother suffered, but she did not suffer all that she could have. Her suffering was comforted and shortened by God’s grace.
I have seen the grace of loving assistant caregivers and help coming from different directions, right when that help was needed.
I have seen my own spirit challenged to the uttermost. I have been supported in that challenge all the way (by Christ and His Church) and I have experienced tremendous growth in the Lord.
Yes, all that God says is true. He is real, and He is with us.
He is with you, too, for the asking. Will you ask Him today to be with you?
Father in heaven, I am in need. I want to see you, to know you, to hear you speaking to me these same words of comfort. I need practical help, because I can’t do this on my own. Even though you have spoken in the past to others, and you have even spoken to me before now, I need you desperately today. Support me in the trials and difficult places. Guide me through the labyrinth of my thoughts and feelings and situation. Bring me incompromisingly into your Truth, for Your Word is true and I believe you. You will bring me through wisely and safely and you will help me to grow stronger in you. Thank you for sending Jesus Christ to pay the high cost of my sin and for His rising again to bring me hope for life and for “all good”. I believe that Jesus Christ is interceding for me right at this very moment (Proverbs 7:23-25). I will wait on you by faith and I will obey all that you teach me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
WEBSITE UPDATES:
“Man plans, God laughs” is an old Yiddish proverb that haphazardly comes to mind when even considering posting my intentions of updates. I feel this way sometimes, don’t you? .
The Bible does not say, however, that God laughs at our pre-emptively failed plans. The Biblical origin of the Yiddish proverb actually has to do with evil plans against good (God’s) people.
The wicked make evil plans against good people. They grind their teeth at them in anger. But the Lord laughs at the wicked. He sees that their day is coming.
Psalm 37:12-13
But the Lord does tell us that even though we make our plans (from our “hearts”), it is the Lord who is ultimately in charge. He directs our ways.
We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.
Proverbs 16:9 ESV
And He gives us a promise for consulting with Him first:
Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding; Acknowledge Him in all of your ways, and He will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6
This ties in with our next blog post (coming soon).
But suffice it to say that I am now reviewing past goals and “where I left off” on this website. I will be working on the following improvements (God directing!):
- better copyediting of previous and future posts
- completing audio recordings of all prayers (all the octrains of Psalm 119)
- a separate Psalm 119 memorization page for children using an easy-to-read translation
- the Hebrew alef-bet cards with the memorization octrain on the back of each related letter (KJV, NIV, ESV, children’s translation to be determined, and Spanish)
- continue posting of meditations on each of the octrains (and other Bible passages)
- Hall of Witnesses interviews and/or brief biographies of Christian men and women, historical and current
- providing fresh scripture memes using my own photography (free for you to use with return link provided)
- and more
Of course, there are “down the road” revisions I’d like to make if I had the luxury of a webdesigner other than myself.
At this point I would like to reiterate that this website is a joy to create, and I do so without any funding, sponsorship or commercialization.
I am preparing some items that will be available for purchase at a reasonably good price for all:
- illustrated Hebrew Alef-Bet/Ps119 memorization flashcards,
- illustrated Psalm 119 memorization prayer booklet
- Psalm 119 Coloring Books (one for adults and one for children and families)
- Psalm 119 for Preparing for Life gift book (teens and young adults based on the principles within Psalm 119, and including the Psalm and prayers for easy access and memorization)
- illustrated 30-day devotional based on the gift and means of studying God’s Word
- Audio CD/USB of Psalm 119 text and prayers (with professional-quality voiceover artist and original music)
In the future, if and when the Lord leads me to do so, I might add a funding button to allow for generous donations to help pay the costs of a web designer, a copyeditor, an email or other means for interaction, and to pay for the costs of keeping this website online.
If you have enjoyed this website and you would like to share with me and other readers any ideas for improvements or ways that would make the study of God’s Word more enjoyable and meaningful to you, please leave a COMMENT in the box provided or anywhere on this website.
Thank you again for visiting! God bless you!
Tamara