Welcome to my blog.

                                                                                                                                  April 20, 2011
Dear Friends,                                                                     

Thank you for stopping by. You are just in time!

Isn't that a relief to hear that you have arrived on time?
If you're like me and frequently find yourself rushing from one place to another; stressing, white-knuckled as you screech to a halt, sliding sideways into a parking space, jumping out of the car and slamming the door at the same instant that you see your keys swinging playfully in the ignition, then great! You've come to the right place.

And what's more, I believe that God sent you here. My hope and prayer is that this will be a place where we as women of God can come to be refreshed, to reflect on our Lord, to be encouraged and to laugh. I believe God loves to hear our laughter.

I'm in the very beginning stages of creating my blog. You haven't missed a thing. So...start out by celebrating today! You are actually early! Congratulations! I'm so excited about our journey together wherever the Lord leads. So once again welcome and stay tuned.

God bless your day with His love, His peace and His joy.

     Bonnie

P.S.- Oh and by the way, the date at the beginning of my blog? It's no accident. I purposely dated it ten years in the future. Apparently, this is the only way to have my Welcome letter remain the first entry that you see when you visit. Otherwise, just like the Bible says; the first shall be last.

(c)2011 Bonnie Mae Evans


** Please note if you are new to my blog, please click on 2011 over on the right and then April. Look for "Bona Fide" posted on April 20, 2011. If you would kindly read that posting before you go on to the next it is a continuation of the introduction. Or, read in any order you prefer, no pressure, just enjoy.
Thanks and Happy reading!

My Inner Worm?

Hello sweet friends.Welcome back.

Grab a cup of coffee or tea or whatever you wish.
Kick your shoes off and relax a moment with me as we contemplate the joy of servanthood.

Now, close your eyes for a moment if you will.
Come on . . .
I'm not going to sneak up and scare you I promise.

Just close your eyes and think about the wonder of you.
Right now as you sit quietly, you are actually very busy.

Your heart is beating, pumping all the red blood through your veins and arteries.
They in turn are nourishing your organs.
Kidneys are filtering and flushing.
Your liver is detoxifying and absorbing certain nutrients.
Lungs are bringing in oxygen.
Your stomach and intestines are busy digesting your last meal.
Your brain is firing messages all over your body in intricate patterns to coordinate every detail.
Your eyes are reading this . . .

Hey, wait a minute aren't your eyes supposed to be closed?

Oh well, I guess you have use your eyes to read and I thank the Lord that you are reading this.
Bless you, dear one.

Even your bones are working making new red blood cells and giving you a frame; some structure so that you're not just in a heap on the floor right now like a big jellyfish with hair and teeth.
Thank the Lord for that!

Every part in your body is unique and necessary for its effective functioning.
Some of you may have medical issues where one or more of your parts are not functioning properly. You know first hand the difficulty when all parts do not work together for the common good of the body.
I'm sorry that you have to endure those diagnoses.
I will lift you up to the Father in prayer.

That's exactly the point I was getting to, working together as the body of Christ.

. . . all the members of the body, though, they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.                 1 Corinthians 12:12


Saturday I had the wonderful opportunity to serve the community along with 1700 others in our area.

This one day, the last Saturday in April, there is an organized time of reaching out to help others. Now, I don't mean to imply that is the only time of year there is an outreach to those in need. But, this is one of the largest joined group efforts specifically organized for that purpose.

So many people turned out bright and early. There were young and old alike. One volunteer was in a wheelchair. Every size and description showed up.
All that was necessary was a willing spirit.
Some had signed up to do gardening, others to clean windows, building projects were being tackled, picking up litter in neighborhoods, packing lunches, distributing backpacks full for families in need, sorting out clothes, and countless other activities to help.

A team had volunteered to pray over all of the projects, the volunteers, the community and everyone in it. Pray at the Spirit's leading.

Everyone was there to be a servant. We had all chosen to serve . . . to be the hands and feet . . . different parts of one body.

What a blessing to share the love of Christ in this way.

One thing we all had in common.

There were SMILES! There was joy all around!

Leo Tolstoy once said: "Life is a place of service. Joy can be real only if people look upon their life as a service and have a definite object in life outside of themselves and their personal happiness."


We are the body of Christ. That means everyone of us has a unique place that only we can fill. We are needed for the smooth and proper functioning of the whole body.

The secondary benefit is we find true joy in the humility of servanthood.
We become one with Christ, the perfect servant.


My son was wrote an essay for English class. Although entertaining, I was struck with the insight and truth of it. So today, my son is my guest blogger. I hope you enjoy.
Take it away, Will.

Digging for Hope

Getting out of my car on this beautiful, brisk, October afternoon, something caught my eye. On my black asphalt driveway, about three inches away from my foot, lay a pink, juicy, worm— the stereotypical standard of gross. The constant subject of childhood dares. Only a really cool kid could stomach a worm back in the day.

But this worm wasn’t being dangled in front of a child’s face, the only obstacle in a six year old boy’s path to becoming a little bit more awesome. This worm was squirming, full of life. Its unconscious instinct telling it to dig, but it lay where it could do no such thing. Maybe just crinkle some crisp autumn leaves with its pink ridged body.

Like you or me treading water in the middle of the ocean, this worm was stranded. Being a child that used to cry when I accidentally stepped on an ant, I felt obligated to help my little buddy out. So with a flick of the wrist, I sent the gentle creature back to his natural habitat, my front yard. Where he could dig to his five little hearts’ content.

For some reason, this event left me puzzled. What do worms do? As bold and simple as that question was, I couldn’t recall the information necessary to quell my curiosity. After all, they are basically just living breathing intestines, right? Whatever goes in the front comes out the back. Seems easy enough. With a little research it hit me. My idea that there had to be some significance to worms was correct.

 They are vital to any ecosystem. They do the “natural recycling”. The soil that goes in, unfertile; the soil that comes out, fertile. Bingo. Where would any ecosystem be without worms? A desert may be an exaggeration, but I make my point. With that out of my way I thought that maybe I could continue on with my afternoon. Not on my life. My thoughts kept racing.

Who are considered "worms" in modern society? Taken for granted, avoided, stepped on and eaten? And what would society be like without them? If every last person strived to attend Harvard Law or went to business school to try to be the next big multi-million dollar CEO? What if there was no one left to do the necessary but dirty work? Like getting up in the middle of the night and collecting the trash that we place on our curbs. To mop the floors when we’re clumsy enough to spill a drink, or carelessly drop food? With nobody to do such things, with nobody to do the “natural recycling”, our days would be littered with more than just trash. Society would crash. Just as an ecosystem would if a small but integral part of it, such as a worm, was missing.   

Everyone has their place in society. Some run businesses, and some unclog drains. The hope for renewal of society is found in appreciation of everyone’s unique contribution. Whether or not you’re a worm or a butterfly you can’t forget that you have a job to do, and society depends on it. Just as that worm was squirming to find something to dig into, society needs to find something to hold on to. A sense of pride in who they are. The pride that is a constant reminder that you play a role in society. And a vital one at that. Once one has obtained gratification for themselves, only then will they be able to embrace their inner-worm.


(c) 2011 W.J. Evans


Thank you, son.

I love his comical and very real perspective on society.

I am reminded of the scriptural truth on this subject.
In 1 Corinthians 12:12-31. I would encourage you to read the entire passage. I will only highlight parts of it.

Verses 16 and 17 say, And if the ear says, "Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body.' It is not for this reason any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing where would the sense of smell be?

Verse 20- "But now there are many members but one body.

Verse 26 and 27-  And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored all the members rejoice with it.
Now you are Christ's body and individual members of it.

God has blest each of us with special gifts, talents and experiences. We each have our own arena of people with whom to share Him.
He, by His divine hand has placed us where we are for His purposes.
So let's get out there friends and be who He wants us to be, for who He wants us reach.
Start with a prayer.

Thank you, precious Savior and Lord for making me the unique and irreplaceable person that I am. I pray that You will help me to see myself as You see me. Use me as a servant for the futherance of Your kingdom.
Amen.

Praise God!

A Different Kind of Easter

Hello Sweet Friends.

Happy belated Easter!

He is risen!

He is risen indeed!

Praise His holy name.
For without His resurrection, His death would have been for naught.
Instead, because He arose we all have a hope that cannot be quenched.

What a wonderful spring we have been experiencing where I live.
The daffodils and tulips have come and gone. The azaleas are now beginning to open. By the week-end they should be in full bloom around my house. Then, I will eagerly await the arrival of irises. As you know from my blog post on July 20, 2011 irises serve to remind me each year of a very special promise God gave me many years ago. A promise that came partly to fruition on Easter Sunday in 1989 and then completely in 1994 - five years later.

If you haven't read it I invite you to check it out. I pray that it blesses your heart. I hope you are enjoying the weather and all of God's wonderful creation wherever you hail from. All we need here is a bit of rain.

Although I have been enjoying the clear blue skies and have already taken time out to relax in my hammock one afternoon after some yard work.

The hammock is where I contemplate the wonders of the universe and brainstorm for my writing projects. A verse that always comes to mind when I am lying there staring up into the azure expanse of sky overhead is one of the first that I memorized as an adult after becoming a Christian.

How manifold are Thy handiworks, O Lord. In wisdom You have made them all; the earth is full of Your creatures. Psalm104:24 

I love that verse. It speaks of God's magnificence and His Lordship. How He designed not just a place to keep His creation, but a beautiful, lavish place full of splendor for us to enjoy.
A place where we could see His fingerprints and marvel at His wisdom and power. I am especially struck with this in the springtime.

Spring is one of my four favorite seasons.
Did you ever ponder what season God started with when He made the earth?
I bet it was spring.

Spring brings with it a sense of awe at a fresh new beginning; for the earth and for us as well. When we seek His forgiveness and receive our gift of eternal salvation, we are made brand new.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things are passed away; behold new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (New American Standard)

How incredibly pristine the earth must have been right after God called it into existence.  That's how new, fresh and spotless we are before Him. Once our sins are confessed, the Bible says He remembers them no more. He doesn't hold them over our head and throw them up in our face later.
 They are gone!

. . . for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more. Jeremiah 31:34 (NAS)

As far as the east is from the west,
So far He has removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:12 (NAS)

Spring brings Easter, which has always been a special holiday for me. During childhood I anticipated its arrival each year with visions of spring blossoms, real-live bunnies and creamy, rich chocolate dancing in my head.

Easter had all of my favorite things rolled into one bright shiny egg.

Mmmm. Chocolate.
Whoops! I just drooled a little.
Some of you may be able to relate to that response.
Thank you, Dr.Pavlov!

Excuse me, as I was saying;
after my salvation in 1978, Easter took on a more precious and lasting meaning. Each year, all over again I am in awe of what an amazing gift the Lord Jesus gave me. An eternal gift, one that would last for all eternity . . . life everlasting . . . in Heaven in His presence. Me.

He took my sins upon Himself, suffered on the cross, died, was buried, laid in the grave three days and then rose out of the grave defeating sin and death once and for all!

What an an awesome God, who loves us enough to offer up His only Son that we too might live!

This year in the dusky hours of Easter Sunday morning before I was out of bed, the phone rang.
The news was not good.

My cousin's 17 year old son had been in a car accident three hours away near my hometown. He had been heliported during the night to Shock Trauma near where I live.
He was thrown from his truck, received a head injury and was unresponsive. As a nurse all kinds of unwanted information flooded into my head and with it a very real concern for Ted's (name changed) life and full recovery.

I immediately began to pray and asked God to fill my thoughts with hope in Him and to heal Ted completely, and quickly. I prayed for comfort and peace to surround my family that were gathered in the Shock Trauma waiting area.

Instead of putting on my Easter dress and going to church, I dressed in jeans and headed over to the hospital. Driving there I prayed for God to give the staff knowledge of what to do during those critical hours.
Ultimately, I knew the Lord was the only one who could totally heal and restore Ted. The rest of his days and the quality of them was up to Him.

Arriving at Shock trauma, I found my family and gave them all big, hugs, holding their aching hearts close to mine. Few words were exchanged. It felt surreal.

Prayer was all we could offer. It was all that was needed.

My heart bowed at the feet of Jesus, not the blood-stained feet nailed to the cross but the perfect and whole feet of my risen Savior. As we sat in silence each praying heart-wrenching prayers, I began to feel that the room was full, although there were only five of us there.
It felt as if there was a crowd all around us. There was a comforting unseen presence.
My cousin, Ted's mother said, " I feel really calm. I don't understand it, but I do."

Peace settled in and around tucking us securely with a blanket of comfort that during these circumstances only the Lord could provide.

We were experiencing what the Bible tells us.
"the peace of God which passes all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds."  Philippians 4:14 (NAS)

I thought of the significance of Easter, Christ raised from the dead. He was alive now and with us, bringing us peace as He promised. The Holy Spirit was interceding for Ted at this very moment.

Easter is a celebration of life.
Yet down the hall our precious boy's life hung in the balance of uncertainty.
One thing was for certain. God was in control. He is all powerful. He raised Jesus. Jesus raised Lazarus.
Even though we didn't know the future we knew the One who did.
The One who is the great omnipotent I AM.

He could be trusted.
His ways are not our ways. Isaiah 55:8
They are perfect.

Word went out. People were praying all up and down the east coast and even Colorado and Texas. He was in good hands. The hands of our Lord Jesus whose body was restored completely and who is alive today.

Within two days Ted opened his eyes and gave a thumbs up! As you can imagine, there were tears of relief and joy!
He was taken off the respirator. As soon as he could talk he asked what any 17 year-old would ask; about his truck and phone. Next, he proceeded to walk the loop around Shock trauma. Within a few days he was transferred to a rehab facility which is normal procedure for head trauma follow-up.
Just 12 days after the accident, he was discharged home. Whole and complete.

Praise be to the Father. All the glory is His.

He heard and chose to answer our prayers with Ted's complete healing.
My prayers now are that God will use this experience to draw us even closer to Himself and that Ted will continue to grow and become a great man of God, sharing His love with others.

Yes, this was a very different Easter, one where God demonstrated how very much alive and present He really is.

His love is ALIVE!


(c) 2012 Bonnie Mae Evans

A Rock and a Hard Place

Hello Dear Friends,

How in the world have you been?

It's been awhile and I must say it's nice to be back in the swivel chair tapping out a message on the keys for you. I hope and pray that this entry finds you happy and well and that your 2012 is off to a marvelous start.

Well, grab a cup of tea, coffee, or your favorite snack. You know how we are about having to multi-task. I wouldn't want you to feel as though you are falling down on the job, but I, who am not a very efficient multi-tasker likes to keep it doable. I AM, however, able to chew, swallow and read at the same time. Although, I must admit to almost taking a bite out of a book mark once when I was snacking on something of similar weight, ie., chips or maybe it was wheat thins. I think I'll go with wheat thins. It sounds so much healthier and after all, it is still early in the New Year.

By the way, how is that going?
Did you make some good resolutions?
Are you still, some seven weeks later keeping them?

I don't make New Year's resloutions any more.
Too much pressure.
I feel too lousy when I realize I'm already three days behind schedule before I actually remember that I made resolutions or a week behind when I find the To Do list that I wrote them on. 

Instead, I prefer to give myself a running start by just beginning something on any old odd day of the week, sometime after the start of the year. I don't tell anyone about it, including myself, you know, just in case, the expectations were to get too high.

I continue for several days and sort of sneak up on myself. The next thing you know I've been exercising a little each day for about four days without even realizing it. I've been replacing a cookie here and there with an orange or a handful of golden raisins and almonds. There you have it! Before I have time to panic or doubt my ability to succeed, I've practically conquered this new-start, self-improvement resolution thing.

Things run along nice and smoothly for a few more days, I'm nearing a whole week...

And then, blam. . .

. . . out of the blue something happens to throw a rock in my path.

Oftentimes, it's something seasonal such as a couple inches of snow or cinnamon hearts for Valentine's Day.

My progress comes to a screeching halt.

I fall off the proverbial horse, foot still stuck in the stirrup, body slamming on the ground behind it until finally, my foot comes loose and the horse called my new healthy diet and exercise program goes galloping off into the sunset.

I sit there a few moments staring after it wondering what happened. Finally, brushing the dust off, I get up and come to the realization that I hit a rock.

Yes, that's right. I hit a rock.

It was in my path.
I may or may not have seen it coming. The result is the same.

I thought I had cleared them all away, but this one cropped up unexpectantly.

Now, here comes the hard place....
the realization that I should have seen it coming.
After all, it's happened before.

It gets harder. . .

At this point I must make a decision.
Am I going to do the easy thing and let that horse run free or am I going to track down and lasso that pony and hop back on? 

In my spiritual life there are rocks that must be dealt with also.

How about you, dear heart?  Do you find like Paul in chapter 7 of Romans that the very things you hate and don't wish to do, you end up doing? On the other hand, do you neglect the things that you want to do?  I resemble that remark.

As I read that passage I can just hear the defeat and disappointment in his voice.

Once again . . .    
                          . . . failure.

Perhaps these are the toughest and most important rocks that I need to get out of the way.

But, I thought I had. ???

The look on my face right now is one of puzzlement.

God showed me the answer to this dilemma as I was leaving Bible study one afternoon.

Across from our little country church lies beautiful rolling hills of farmland.
Every year since I've been attending there at least one crop is planted and harvested.
But, on this particular afternoon, I noticed the farmer slowly walking the field ahead of a front-end loader. Ever so often he stooped over, picked up a large rock and heaved it into the bucket of the front-end loader.

This seemed odd to me.
Not that he was clearing out his field, I knew rocks that size could damage farm machinery. 
But, why was he picking the rocks up now?
Surely, they had been there all along. They didn't just drop out of the sky one evening and land in his field.
I would have heard about it. It would have made the local chronicle.

Aha. Yes, indeed they had been there all along. But, as time passed; rains fell, crop roots dug deep, cows rambled around and maybe even our recent earthquake had its hand in dislodging and pushing those rocks to the surface.

Just like our old habits, defeating thought patterns and temptations giving way to sin, they lie just beneath the surface waiting to emerge.
To keep ahead of these "rocks" we must do daily maintenance to keep our spirits strong.
Otherwise, they will appear when we least expect.
Breaking our plow, knocking us off our horse and leaving us defeated and discouraged.

"Where do we start?"

I'm delighted that you asked dear friend.
I'm happy to share how I get started.

• I like to begin with listening to or singing some songs of praise to our Father. You don't have to sing though, just lift up your hands and praise Him for who He is, not what He's done for you. That comes later. 

Praise chases Satan from our presence. He can't stay where there's honest-to-goodness praise to the Lord. He has to flee.

• Next I spend a few moments searching my heart and asking forgiveness where I have fallen short of what is pleasing to Him. I ask Him to bring things to mind that I have ignored or overlooked.
• Then, I thank Him for all He has done for me and how richly He has blessed me and most of all how He loves me.
• Next, I like to pray for others, intercession on their behalf.
• Find a version of the Bible that appeals to you and read some portion of it. There are many reading plans to choose from. Check out You Version, there are a ton of plans there.
• Try memorizing God's word. Hide it in your heart. Start with one line at a time. I did a line a day and before long had a whole Psalm that I could pull from memory at any moment to comfort me or encourage someone.

This looks extensive but you can spend as much or as little time as you want to. God doesn't make you punch a time clock before He hears you. 

He just loves being with you.

He is the one and only rock that will actually keep you from stumbling.

Trust in the Lord forever,
For in God the Lord, we have an everlasting rock. Isaiah 26:4

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
My God, my rock in whom I take refuge; Psalm 18:2

Let the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14

So there, precious friends, get on out there and dig up some rocks before they cause you to stumble. Triumph over them in the Lord's strength. Make them work for you.

Build an alter out back, make a fence or construct a barbeque pit.

Put them in their place . . . . at the feet of Jesus.

And then cling to the Rock of Salvation.

God bless you with the strength of the Rock.

(c) 2012 Bonnie Mae Evans

The Greatest Gift

Has already been given!


Greetings Dear Friends,

In the hustle, bustle of this CHRISTmas Eve I pray that you will take some time to contemplate the greatest gift of all time, JESUS.

And the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for behold I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for ALL people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:10-11

Here is a devotional about a true story that happened a few years ago. I hope it blesses your heart. I invite you to check out my writers group Christmas season devotionals at-  
Portionsofgrace.blogspot.com

Barnyard Christmas Eve

 
And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7 (NAS)
  

One Christmas Eve, after waving good-bye to our guests, I went to feed and bed down my bunnies for the cold night. Grabbing some apple slices as a treat for them I realized to my dismay, that in all the holiday rush, fresh hay had been forgotten. Immediately my thoughts went to the farm lady nearby. She loved animals too and would understand. Quickly calling her, I apologized for the interruption. She seemed genuinely glad to help. I wrapped a box of homemade cookies and hurried out the door.

From the hill, a stunning sunset showcased her farm. Pausing to take in the brilliant orange and violet swirls, I realized this was a special moment, compliments of the Father. In quiet adoration I took a moment to praise Him for the gift of His Son.

Walking the darkened dirt path to the barnyard another surprise awaited. Ever so softly, sweet carols drifted on the hay and animal-scented air. Cows lowed quietly. A warm glow beckoned from an opened door. In awe I thanked God for a tiny glimpse into the wonder of that holy night when Jesus was born. Treading silently, tears in my eyes, I stepped into the warm light anticipating a baby in the manger. There was my friend, greeting me with a big smile. “Perfect,” she said, “A bale of clover, my Christmas gift to your bunnies!” Handing her the cookies I smiled and treasured the gift I had already received.

Father, thank You for the most perfect gift of Your Son!   

God bless each and everyone of you with the Love of Christ now and for always!

© 2011 Bonnie Mae Evans

What's that smell?

Prayer, a sweet aroma to the Lord.

Psalm 141:2

Dear Friends,

I am so honored to have you tune in with me to share our journey with Christ. It is my desire to minister to you in prayer as well as in words. The Lord has put it on my heart to offer my prayers to you on an individual basis rather than just as "the readers of my blog." That's how I refer to those of you who are anonymous when I am bringing you before the Lord. He knows who you are. Isn't it a comfort to know that you are not anonymous to him?

I was just thinking about how I could be a better friend and intercessor for you. If you would like to have me pray for you it would be my joy and pleasure. I love to commune with the Father on behalf of others.

If you wanted to write in the comments any prayer requests that are on your heart, it would be my privilege to pray for you. I believe in prayer.

You can remain anonymous if you like. I am not able to contact you personally, the blog does not provide me with that information. The comments are only posted after I see them. So, if you say don't post on the blog, I won't. As a matter of fact, considering prayer requests confidential, almost sacred I would not post them on the blog unless you asked specifically so that all of our brothers and sisters in Christ could join us in prayer for you.

But, rest assured I will bring you and your requests before the Lord.
Let's pray together and see what our amazing Creator will do! 

Prayer is such a privilege. The fact that we have immediate access to the throne room of God and that He immediately inclines His ear to hear our hearts is a fact that seems too wonderful to be true.

But, it is true my sweet friend. 
Praise the Lord! It is most definitely true! Our only limitation to accessing the Father is our hesitation to open up the conversation with Him.

I know that life is often hard on us. We get pressed on from every side and wonder how we will ever make it. Strangely enough, it can be during the most difficult times that it is hardest for us to pray.

But, God in His infinite wisdom has provided for those times as well. 

The Bible says, In the same way the Holy Spirit also helps in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. Romans 8:26

Wow. That's some serious stuff. I feel very well loved and cared for when I try to imagine that kind of intercession going on for me in the Heavenlies.

So you might wonder, why then, if the Holy Spirit Himself is praying for us and God knows everything there is to know about us why bother enlisting the prayers of anyone else? Good question.

The answer is because we are commanded to pray for each other in the Scriptures.

Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. James 5:16

I believe it is for the furtherance of the Kingdom. It brings us as the body of Christ closer to each other and closer to God.
At the Last Supper Jesus prayed for Simon and in doing so prayed that it would strengthen the rest of the disciples.

...but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers. Luke 22:32

The greatest benefit of prayer may be that as we come into the presence of the Lord we are strengthened, encouraged and filled with peace.
When we draw near to Him we find that He is already there waiting.

So, please, won't you join me on this prayer journey and see how it enriches your life and the lives of everyone around you.
We have nothing to lose and everything to gain!

God bless your day with extra-special closeness to Him.


(C) 2011 Bonnie Mae Evans

Of Cats and Men

Hello there dear friends.
Remember me?

It's Bonnie from Bonniefied.

Only kidding, but really, it has been longer than I would have liked since I last wrote to you.
Too long.
I do hope and pray that you have been happy and well since we last met. Thank you for checking in with me again.
So go grab a cup of tea or coffee, a codfish cake or a Pop tart, whatever is your pleasure.
But, come back soon and relax in the Lord with me for a few minutes.

It seems life has gotten in the way of my writing plans lately.
The things of everyday life have kept me busy. I'm sure all of you can identify with that. Nothing awful and for that I am very grateful. It has just been the mundane, but necessary.
Necessary interruptions to my plans for the day.
Unexpected little twists and turns that send me off in a different direction than I intended to go.

How about you, friend? Do you find yourself pulled this way and that, frustrated at not being able to carry on with your plans?

Right now I am involved in a very enlightening Bible study on Jonah by Priscilla Shirer. She calls these life interruptions-divine interventions. So, I am learning to see things differently, to cherish these unexpected detours and to look for the opportunites that God is blessing me with to help further His kingdom.

I remember the verse  My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are My ways your ways,declares the Lord. Isaiah 55:8

But, being a child of the King I desire to know more of His ways. Therefore, I am learning to yield to His plans on a daily basis.

(If you have the chance to take part in this Bible study don't miss it. It may be your next divine intervention.)

For the past few weeks my interruptions/interventions have gone something like this:

• The starter on my car that decided to change its name and identity to the "nonstarter".
• The flu bug that decided to take up residence with my son.
• The new job opportunity that consumed hours in rewriting my resume, applying online, interviewing, getting the employment physical and recooperating from the required DPT, PPD and flu shot.Yes, this is a praise! I did get the job! (And so far I have not gotten diptheria, tetanus, pertussis, tuberculosis or the flu!)
• Keeping up with the irregular hours of my present job and trying to make the transition easier for the patients and doctor when I leave.
• Watching with joy as my son played in a Fall lacrosse league and then the All Star game under a cloudless blue November sky. It was a perfect day. Oh wait, that wasn't an interruption. I just wanted to tell you about it. It was wonderful!
• Buying, returning and rebuying. What on earth made me think that I could buy shoes for my daughter without her seeing them first? I mean really, didn't I learn that lesson with the boots a few blogs back? Apparently not.
• The trees in our yard are trying to make it into the Guinness Book of World records for the most leaves dropped overnight in between rakings. I'm not complaining. You know I love my trees.
• The migraine headache that struck with a vengence out of nowhere.
• The lost cat of my son's girlfriend.
•  

Now, this is where our story begins.

How the cat named Shadow came to be lost was an accident really. An accident that my dear, tender-hearted, animal-loving son felt entirely responsible for. You see, he was leaving his girlfriend's house one night when Shadow ran out past him. He was used to going out, but not at night. My son and his girlfriend searched and called to no avail. Shadow had a plan of his own. He vanished into the shadows of the night.

Over the next few days I watched as my son suffered with the anguish and guilt of being the one who let the cat out. He loved that cat, the laid back Maine Coon. His girlfriend insisted that it wasn't his fault, but he believed it was.
We prayed constantly for Shadow to be found...nothing.

Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17

For the next week and a half I would make three treks to the Animal Shelter, looking at all of those precious lost little faces behind bars while my heart was breaking for Shadow and for each and every one of them. I prayed for them and for Shadow to be safe and for the people that worked there. What a hard job.
I poured over the log of all the animals that had been received in the county. Those that arrived DOA, those that arrived injured, those that were euthanized, those that were adopted, and those that were still there. None fit the description of Shadow.

Just a little plug for the SPCA-
***Please... if you are able and want a pet, go to a local shelter and adopt one. It's the ultimate in recycling. More love in those cages than you can imagine. We adopted two cats from a shelter. (I'm pretty sure one of them is an angel.) The other is just a big sweet baby.

My son and I continued to pray.
Each day that passed made it more urgent.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God. Phillippians 4:6

We've seen God answer prayers before.
We know that He is concerned about every detail of our lives both big and small. He hears every utterance of a prayer spoken aloud or deep in our hearts.

Do you believe that?

What is your heartache right now?

Do you feel that it is too small to bother God with?

Or too large for Him to fix?

Well, my friend, here's good news. If it concerns you, it concerns Him. He already knows anyhow and He's just waiting for you to trust Him enough to pray and spend time in His presence. He's waiting to hear from you.
Sometimes I think it's the time spent in His presence while praying that is most important to Him. Everything else may be incidental.

Well, back to the great Maine Coon Cat hunt...

I drove around their neighborhood slowly looking in every doorway and around every trash can and bush while the girlfriend's family was out of town. I searched the sides of the road for his little carcass.
I wanted the cat to be found because I know how dearly I love mine. But, I also wanted my son's pain to stop.

We continued to pray. As more than a week went by I saw my son begin to give in to the idea that the likelihood of finding the kitty was getting slim. (I honestly believe the stress of it contributed to his getting the flu.)
We pictured a scenario where someone was in need of a special blessing and God was using Shadow. We laughed at how they were so happy with their new cat that they would never let him outside so that he could come home. We gave Shadow up for God's purposes.

Then, yesterday came the call. Two calls in fact. A lady found him and had seen the Lost Cat posters. Shadow had been found. He had been on his own for almost two weeks. Well, not completely on His own. God was there.

We praised the Lord and thanked Him for bringing Shadow home!

While this has been one of those interruption/interventions, I am once again overwhelmed at God's love and care for the minute details of our lives and that he would give me the privilege of participating.

What a valuable lesson for a couple of teens--to take everything to the Lord in prayer, to pray believing, without ceasing but most of all to relenquish everything to Him for His purposes.

To know how very important they are to Him and how He cares for each and everyone one of us.

That includes you dear one.
You are the apple of His eye.
He died for you. You are not an interruption to Him
He longs to hear your voice.

Break the silence.
Pour your heart out before Him.
Tell Him all of your hurts, fears, worries, heartaches, disappointments, hopes, and dreams.
Feel all of your cares shrink before the awesomeness of His glory and power.
Then, surrender your day to Him. Go out there renewed and look with new eyes on the unplanned "interruptions" that come your way and praise God for the opportunities He is blessing you with!

Until next time.
May our precious Lord and Savior bless you with more of Him!

(C) 2011 Bonnie Mae Evans

Move Over Orange

Here Comes PINK!!!

Until recently when I thought of October orange and black spontaneously came to mind.
Fat orange pumpkins and black, raggedy-looking cats with glowing green eyes.

But now when October rolls around I find that thoughts of pink occupy my mind. Have you noticed that happening to you also?


There are those loops of pink ribbon everywhere you look. I've seen pink bunches of flowers. Pink icing on cupcakes. Signs outside salons that boast of pink hair color. Pink tennis balls and rackets, pink folding chairs and coolers to match-- all of which I own.

 I'm sure that all of us reading this have known someone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. There are so many women affected by it every day.


Pink represents the research and strides being made in the field.
It is a reminder and a hope to many.

When my dear cousin was diagnosed with breast cancer a few years ago, I wanted to show support. Whenever I purchased something pink I would call and tell her about it. We would laugh about our "pinkness".

Come to think of it we laughed about everything and anything. She had a wild sense of humor.
Pink gave her hope. Hope that a cure would be found.


But what color is hope really?
Or is it a color at all?


What is hope to you, dear heart? If all else fails and you were faced with your own mortality through breast cancer or in some other way, how would you view hope?


When I was faced with a cancer diagnosis at age twenty-four, I was frightened . . . well, let's be honest. I was terrified.


Suddenly, I, the all-sufficient agnostic had the realization that I might possibly die and if I did would most certainly spend eternity in hell.


Not a comforting thought. Not much hope there.
The comfort came when my husband suggested that we go to church.
Very soon after I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.


Now, that was the hope I had been longing for.
Hope that cannot fail.


My true hope is in Christ who loves me and died for my sins. The one and the same who defeated sin and death when He arose from the dead and ascended into Heaven where He now waits for me when my time here on earth is finished.


So now, dear precious friend, whatever circumstances you may be facing--where is your hope?


In what can you place your faith and your trust for all eternity?


Even if all of this world's pink research brings an end to cancer, which would be wonderful, someday my friend, every single one of us will come to the end of our days on this earth.
The question is where does your hope lie then?


I would like to share some more thoughts on this subject with you through a devotional that I wrote for my writers group blog. I pray that it will bring hope to you or to someone you know and feel led to share it with.


God bless you precious one, with His hope.

PINK HOPE

“And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You.” Psalm 39:7 NAS

There is a pink pen in my Bible decorated with ribbons for Breast Cancer Awareness. It has the words; hope, courage, strength, inspiration and cure. The message is clear to those diagnosed and struggling with surviving breast cancer: hang in there; don’t give up; be courageous and strong; live life renewed. There is hope—hope for a cure.

Those words so carefully chosen for those in desperate need of hope also describe Jesus. He is the ultimate hope and cure for all our ills, be they emotional, spiritual or physical. We have hope in all things on this earth and in Heaven through Jesus our Redeemer. We can have courage to face each day without fear when we know Jesus as Savior. He becomes our strength. His strength is made perfect in our weakness. (2 Cor.12:9)

 If there is any cure, any healing, it will ultimately come through His hands; whether it is miraculous thus defying explanation, aided by the skill of surgeons, or by the knowledge of researchers studying DNA and developing chemotherapy. There is nothing out of the realm of His care and providence. His hand is in it and on it—all of the time.

He is our inspiration. He fills us with desire to know more of Him. We are inspired and empowered by the Holy Spirit when we meditate on His word and seek Him in prayer. He fills us to overflowing. He gives strength to the weak, hope to the hopeless, and courage to the fearful.

Precious loving Father, please fill the hearts of the desperate with the hope of You.

Amen.

(c) 2011 Bonnie Mae Evans

Iris Blessing

Today I want to share a story with you. It's a true story. My purpose in wanting to share this is to emphasize how important it is to remember how God has answered our prayers in the past. 

When we're going though a particularly hard time and we find our path dark, lonely, painful and seemingly unending it's easy to forget how God has answered our prayers- how he has provided for us. Our vision gets cloudy, our memories weak.

That's our humanness. 

But, don't despair, dear one. Long after we have lost hope, forgotten or just plain given up, He remembers. 

He is incapable of forgetting. He is and ever has been faithful! And most importantly- He will NEVER fail us! He has plans for each of us and is faithful to see them to completion. I know it's true because He said so in His word and because I have seen it time and again in my own life. We're in great hands. After all, we don't call Him the Great I AM for nothing.

We humans haven't improved much in the remembering category since biblical times. Take the Israelites for example, they stood on the bank and watched Moses part the Red Sea by God's command.They walked through without even stepping in a mud puddle, saw it with their own eyes and yet, time after time they forgot past answers to their prayers.

Then, there was Sarah. Boy! She must have had some good reminders or a photographic memory! Waiting until she was ninety to have a baby? Honestly, I think I might have said, "Thanks God, but now I'm just too tired."

Oftentimes in the Bible, altars of stone were constructed on spots where God did something momentous. They wanted to remember and needed a reminder- a touchstone.

We have day planners, sticky notes, diaries and memory books. We need to remember daily details. How much more we need to remember God's answers to our prayers. For our own good, so that we can grow closer to Him in the waiting.

In Hawaii, when a surfer dies friends carry stones to the spot and stack them one on top of the other. They want to remember the life lived and the life lost. The piles of stones remind them each time they go by.

We erect headstones and monuments of famous people. Thousands have traveled to Ground Zero to remember those lost on 911.

We need reminders. We need to write down God's answers to our prayers or perserve them in some way so that when we are going through hard times we can look back and remember and hang on a little longer and stronger while we wait on Him. We must remember His faithfulness. 

With those thoughts in mind, here's one of my real life stories of God's amazing faithfulness to me. I call it my-


                                                      Iris Blessing


Sorrow swept over me in a familiar wave that threatened to drown me as I sat kneeling in the dirt. Staring into the gaping hole we had just dug for the iris rhizomes, I thought, that’s how I feel, empty like there’s a hole where my heart should be.

Today was a joyous day for our friends, Cindy and Tom for whom I was babysitting. Moments earlier they had backed out of our driveway excitedly waving good-bye to two-year-old Paige, who stood beside me. I waved back trying hard to share their joy while carefully hiding my pain.

They were on their way to the hospital for the scheduled delivery of their second child, another daughter, already named, Sophie Louise. It seemed to me that they were able to plan out every detail of their lives like clockwork.

Exactly five years after their marriage, their goal of buying a house and saving a nest egg of pre-determined amount reached, they had Paige. Now, two years later, once again following their carefully laid-out plan, they were on the way to the hospital to have their second daughter at a scheduled time. They knew ahead of time. They could make a plan and follow it.

Unlike my life. My life felt uncontrollable, riddled with ups and downs resembling a runaway roller coaster. The only thing I was able to plan were visits to the infertility specialist, followed by the necessary surgeries and tests.

My heart ached as little hands gently took the iris rhizome from mine and daintily pushed it into the waiting hole. A tear slid down my cheek and dripped into the dirt, watering it with my pain. We planted several more in a row when Paige quietly broke through my thoughts. She took my hand.

“Let’s say a prayer for them to grow, Missa Bonna.”  

I had my doubts that they would grow at all in the sandy soil of this semi-tropical climate. They, like me, were transplants here in South Carolina. My mother had dug them out of the rich black soil around her home in the north and sent them with me when we moved, a little piece of home.

I looked into the sweet innocent face looking up at me expectantly and smiled.

“What a nice idea, Paige. Let’s do that,” I said patting her tiny hands in mine. Oh, how I longed for a little one of my own to plant flower bulbs and say prayers over them with.”

Closing our eyes, as Paige prayed out loud, I prayed silently.

Dear God, please give me a sign if I will ever have a baby. If I know, then I can get on with my life, but just not knowing, always hoping, has become unbearable. If I am to have a child someday, please make these irises bloom this year. Amen.

Being a new Christian in the Bible belt, I had recently heard of “casting out the fleece” when looking for an answer and decided to give it a try. I believed with every fiber of my being that God could do “exceedingly, abundantly above anything I could ever ask or hope for,” as I remembered reading in Ephesians 3:20. But, I also knew that His will was not always ours and that His ways were not our ways. God had a plan for our lives and it was important to let God be God. After all, He knew everything about our past, present and future.    

Months passed and I forgot about that prayer, but God remembered. Bright and early on Easter morning the following spring, my husband, Bill and I hurried out to the car to leave for church. As I turned to get into the car my heart leaped at what was in front of me. There in the forgotten flowerbed stood two gorgeous purple irises fully bloomed. Excitedly, I told my husband about my prayer and how the irises were God’s answer. He smiled what appeared to be a patronizing smile, but I was sure this was a promise. I could tell he wasn’t all that sure.  

Another year and a half rolled by with no baby. But, I was okay with the waiting now, because in my heart I knew that eventually I would have a baby. I just had to wait for God’s perfect timing. My husband’s time in the Navy was over so we moved back up north to Maryland, reluctantly leaving friends behind that had become like family to us.

We both got busy securing jobs. Finally, after being married seven years we were able to purchase our first home. Each night as I went upstairs to bed, I stood and gazed longingly into the spare room, desperately hoping it would be a nursery someday soon.

My doctor in Charleston referred me to an infertility specialist at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore where I continued to have treatments, procedures and the latest and greatest medicines on the market. Months dissolved into years. One year disappeared into the next. Somewhere along the way, about seven years after we first started our infertility work-up, I lost hope and fell into despair. My dream of having a family of my own was slipping away. I no longer remembered God’s promise.

One day while I was dragging myself around a craft fair with a friend, my eyes fell on a lovely watercolor painting. It portrayed a delicate violet sharing a stem with a bud that had not yet bloomed. Psalm 37:4 was written all along the stem and leaves.

Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.

That’s it, I thought! I need to delight myself in the Lord more and then I will surely have a baby! I quickly paid for the picture and took it home. I hung it on our bedroom wall so that it was the first thing my eyes focused on in the morning. I prayed and read my Bible. I worked joyfully at church and witnessed to others more, delighting myself in the Lord.

Two more years passed and a strange thing began to happen. I realized my “delight” was taking on a life of its own. My heart’s desire had become whatever God’s plan was for my life. My own agenda was no longer of importance.

Around this time, our church was planning a medical mission trip to Rwanda, Africa. My husband and I, being a dentist and a nurse, decided after praying about it, that this must be what God had planned for us, so we signed up to go. We attended the planning and informational meetings. There would be a lot to do and short time to get it all accomplished. There were many immunizations needed. In order to get them all before we left they had to be scheduled right away. I scheduled our appointments. I had been feeling a bit under the weather lately. Just to be sure before getting the immunizations, we did a pregnancy test. Surprise of all surprises! It came back positive!

Finally, after fifteen years of marriage; nine years of infertility treatments, thirty thousand dollars, five surgeries, two failed in-vitro fertilization attempts and tests and procedures too numerous to recall, I was actually pregnant!

We would not be going to Rwanda after all. God had another plan. It had been nine long years since I prayed that prayer, prompted by a precious little girl.

My doctor handled my case very cautiously and tried to keep my excitement at bay by warning me that “older” mothers had a higher risk of miscarriage. He had seen my disappointment too many times before. Much to his surprise, except for a bad case of morning sickness, I breezed through those nine months.

We left for the hospital on a Saturday night under a beautiful full moon. Our daughter, Hillary, was born the next evening on Easter Sunday, after twenty-six hours of labor. God had not only kept His promise, but He even told me what day she would be born on! But, there was still more to come.

Five years later after my husband and I celebrated our twentieth anniversary, our son, Will, was born. Once again, I remembered God’s promise to me through the irises. I marveled at how specific He had been in His answer. Two irises bloomed that Easter morning, representing each of my children.

During my darkest times of despair I forgot the promise He gave me, but learned to desire His will for my life. Once I desired His will, then, He gave me the desires of my heart.

My daughter is now twenty-one years old and my son is sixteen. My hubby and I are still in awe of our extraordinary God who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we could ever ask or hope for! (Ephesians 3:20)To Him we give all the glory. He alone is worthy of all our praise.

*(Names of friends changed.)

© 2011 Bonnie Mae Evans