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In Faith Talk, Writing Life

Day 8: Comfort #write31days2018

Author Kiel LemonPosted on Leave a comment

I have been contemplating the idea of comfort often of late. There are many ways we seek comfort in life: comfort food, comfy clothes, a cozy blanket on the couch, hot tea on a chilly morning. And those are just examples of physical comfort. As modern Americans, we do not like to be uncomfortable. We like to be happy and healthy. And when we are uncomfortable we want to fix it.

I’m not saying being comfortable is all bad. We need some level of peace and rest in life to recover. But this life is not free of pain, discomfort and inconvenience because we live in a sin-sick world. We will always have struggle and pain here on earth. The pain of earthly life points us to look forward to the relief of all hurt in heaven.

I am saying that instead of seeking to avoid all pain and numb all discomfort, we need to learn to deal with it. Where can we go for the ultimate soothing of our souls? Jesus. He is the Comforter. He alone can give us the inner peace and rest we need as we travel this weary land. He understands our needs. He knew hunger, thirst, weariness, pain, abandonment, poverty… Because He knows our need, He is the one we must seek for true and lasting comfort. Let’s lean into Jesus, the Comforter of our souls.

This post is part of the 31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes and Write 31 Days blogging challenges. Find all my posts in this series under the tag “write31days2018.”

In Faith Talk, Writing Life

Day 7: Hope #write31days2018

Author Kiel LemonPosted on Leave a comment

I took a little liberty with the timer on this one today because I wanted to try something different. It has been many years since I have tried writing any poetry, and this is a rather sorry attempt. But in the spirit of the “creativity” part of my theme this month, I decided to give it a shot anyway! Enjoy!

When Hope Breaks Through

When hope breaks through,
The darkness flees.
When hope breaks through,
My heart soars free.
Amidst the dark and stormy nights,
I find a deep and lasting peace,
When hope breaks through.

When hope breaks through
I lift my song.
When hope breaks through
The hurt and wrong,
My soul at last can find its voice.
My spirit sings the whole day long,
When hope breaks through.

When hope breaks through
The captives dance.
When hope breaks through
The vast expanse,
The Lord will win the victory.
And fear won’t have a fighting chance
When hope breaks through.

This post is part of the 31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes and Write 31 Days blogging challenges. Find all my posts in this series under the tag “write31days2018.”

In Faith Talk, Writing Life

Day 5: Share #write31days2018

Author Kiel LemonPosted on 2 Comments

When I first saw today’s prompt of “share” I thought I would go in the obvious direction of community, friendship, etc. Thus the photo I chose to today’s graphic. But this morning my devotional contemplations led me in a different vein of thought, so here goes nothing! Timer on…

This morning my devotional meditation was about feeling pain but not acting out of pain. As I meditated on that idea, I was also thinking about why we are supposed to feel pain and suffering. The Bible says that we are to share Christ’s sufferings so that we may rejoice all the more when His glory is revealed.

But if I am honest, I don’t like suffering. I run from pain. I try to numb it. Don’t we all shy away from that which causes us discomfort? Of course. But are we really supposed to? Or are we supposed to let the pain and hurt of living in this fallen world point us to something greater?

Sharing in Christ’s suffering allows me to understand his sacrifice more deeply. It allows me to empathize with the pain of those hurting around me in the world. It allows me to see the deeper cause of my discomfort, the sin hidden deep within, if I will let it.

Pain has a purpose. If I run from it or try to soothe it with a temporary fix, I only delay the healing. But if I lean into Christ, sharing His grief for a hurting, sin-sick world, then I can also experience His healing more deeply. Then I can rejoice all the more when the final healing and restoration come, when His glory is fully revealed! Hallelujah!

But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed.

1 Peter 4:13

This post is part of the 31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes and Write 31 Days blogging challenges. Find all my posts in this series under the tag “write31days2018.”

I am also linking up with the Five Minute Friday community today. To read more posts by bloggers on this prompt “share” visit the link-up.

In Faith Talk, Writing Life

Day 4: Why #write31days2018

Author Kiel LemonPosted on Leave a comment

As I sit down to write on this prompt I don’t know quite what to write, and I don’t know why. When I saw it the first time I had lots of “why” questions, but I guess the more I’ve thought about them, the more at peace I am with the lack of answers. 

I have been contemplating a lot of questions lately. Even though I don’t have all the answers I may want, I am growing the faith that I will be given the answers I need when I need them. I am learning that I don’t have peace when I am asking “why”. I do have peace when I am looking at the One who knows why.

We ask a lot of questions that we don’t need to, and “why” seems to be one of them. We may not ever know why certain things happen or why we are the way we are on this side of eternity. But is it really that important to know? I think it is more beneficial for me to ask the Lord what He wants me to do to serve Him in whatever situation and state I find myself. 

The question right now is more “who” than “why” for me. Who is this God that I say I believe in? Who am I supposed to be in light of who He is? When I know in whom I have believed, I don’t need to know why I am where I am. 

This post is part of the 31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes and Write 31 Days blogging challenges. Find all my posts in this series under the tag “write31days2018.”

In Faith Talk, Writing Life

Day 3: Believe #write31days2018

Author Kiel LemonPosted on Leave a comment

Something I’ve been contemplating lately is how I live out what I believe in specific areas of my life. I have particularly been considering how my identity in Christ shapes my behavior.

If I believe, truly deep down, not just on a cerebral level, that I am a Daughter of the King of Kings, I will behave differently than if I believe I am still an orphan without a home.

If I believe that I am redeemed and saved by grace, I will stop striving to achieve and earn God’s love, living instead in the rest and peace of being fully His, even as I am fully known.

If I believe that my home is heaven and that my life on earth is short, I will be more intentional about how I spend my time and steward my temporary resources.

If I believe that my children are a gift and blessing, I will be glad to serve and train them up in the Lord, rather than often wishing they would not be such a “burden.”

My beliefs cannot remain only head knowledge. They must be fully rooted in my heart. They must make a difference in how I think, feel, act and speak. Holy Spirit, fill me that I may believe more fully and walk in the Light of Truth. Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief!

P.S.–If you are a regular reader wondering what happened to the Wellness Wednesday Link-up this week, I am taking a break from hosting it for this month due to the Write 31 Days challenge. Wellness Wednesdays will resume again in November!

This post is part of the 31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes and Write 31 Days blogging challenges. Find all my posts in this series under the tag “write31days2018.”