The Locust years…
I had the privilege of speaking to 11 of the most courageous women I have ever met Monday night. These women are survivors of domestic violence. Some of them are survivors of sexual abuse as well. They are all survivors of multiple types of abuse be it verbal, emotional, physical, and/or sexual. While some have endured their horrific circumstances for years, others were able to escape within the first months or years. All have scars, some visible to the human eye, all visible to our heavenly Father.
While the physical bruises, cuts, and burns will heal naturally, the emotional wounds will take much time, love, compassion, and hard work on the survivor’s part before they will heal. BUT…they can and will heal when our Heavenly Father is the source of strength, hope, courage, and love from which these women choose to draw from. Christ and Christ alone fully understand the depth of their pain, their needs, fears, hopes and dreams.
What courage I heard in their voices as they shared what they had learned from the classes they had been taking. The strength they had received from each other and the hope they now have for a life free from abuse.
My prayer is that God will use my words to His glory and let my words bring encouragement, hope, and a challenge to choose to live a life dedicated to Christ. I pray they will choose to focus on the good and positive changes that are taking place in their lives and not dwell on the horrors of the past.
I pray that they will believe, trust, hope, and receive God’s promise in Joel where God promises to restore to His people the years that were taken from them in such a horrible way. He will give them more than they had and they will not be ashamed! What a wonderful promise!
Joel 2:25 (NAS)
"Then I will make up to you for the years
That the swarming locust has eaten,
The creeping locust, the stripping locust and
The gnawing locust,
My great army which I sent among you."
Joel 2:26 (NAS) “You shall have plenty to eat and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; Then My people will never be put to shame."
Glory be to God through whom all things are possible!
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Saturday, May 17, 2008
For Such a Time as This…
Please pray for the following speaking engagements:
The work of the Holy Spirit in the heart and lives of the Ladies of Goldston Baptist Church. I spoke to them this afternoon at their Ladies luncheon. It was a wonderful time of fellowship. I could truly feel God’s presence in that place!
Monday May 19th, I speak to a group of Domestic violence survivors. These ladies have made a commitment to change. They have completed a 10 week course in life skills to help them transition from victim to survivor to thriver. I’m honored to be the keynote speaker for their graduation. I won’t disclose the location for safety purposes. Please pray for these women and their children as they learn to value themselves and learn what true unconditional love is. Pray the cycle of abuse will stop with them and Christ will win their hearts!
May 30-31 I will be speaking at the State wide Lion’s Club Convention in Greensboro, NC. Pray for God’s message to be heard in this secular arena. This event could open many doors for my ministry to reach the unchurch, unsaved with God’s message of hope and salvation!
June 1, I will be speaking at Hodges Chapel located between Benson and Coats, NC. This is Baptist Woman’s Day. Pray for the anointing of the Holy Spirit as I seek to serve Him.
June 1st. we begin hosting a summer intern with the Southern Baptist Convention. She will be with the church planting team. She will be in our home for the month of June.
June 19-22, I will be attending the Proverbs 31 writers and speakers conference in Charlotte, NC. Pray that I grow in my ability to break the bread of life more effectively and that I am prepared to present my book ideas to publishers…and that I can handle rejection if this is not the time for my book to be written and published!
As always, I appreciate and need your prayers to sustain me!
I thank you my faithful friends! May God bless you in all your endeavors as you seek to serve our Savior in your gifts and talents that He has abundantly imparted to each of you!
Much love my sisterchicks!
Lisa…the sightless wonderer!
Please pray for the following speaking engagements:
The work of the Holy Spirit in the heart and lives of the Ladies of Goldston Baptist Church. I spoke to them this afternoon at their Ladies luncheon. It was a wonderful time of fellowship. I could truly feel God’s presence in that place!
Monday May 19th, I speak to a group of Domestic violence survivors. These ladies have made a commitment to change. They have completed a 10 week course in life skills to help them transition from victim to survivor to thriver. I’m honored to be the keynote speaker for their graduation. I won’t disclose the location for safety purposes. Please pray for these women and their children as they learn to value themselves and learn what true unconditional love is. Pray the cycle of abuse will stop with them and Christ will win their hearts!
May 30-31 I will be speaking at the State wide Lion’s Club Convention in Greensboro, NC. Pray for God’s message to be heard in this secular arena. This event could open many doors for my ministry to reach the unchurch, unsaved with God’s message of hope and salvation!
June 1, I will be speaking at Hodges Chapel located between Benson and Coats, NC. This is Baptist Woman’s Day. Pray for the anointing of the Holy Spirit as I seek to serve Him.
June 1st. we begin hosting a summer intern with the Southern Baptist Convention. She will be with the church planting team. She will be in our home for the month of June.
June 19-22, I will be attending the Proverbs 31 writers and speakers conference in Charlotte, NC. Pray that I grow in my ability to break the bread of life more effectively and that I am prepared to present my book ideas to publishers…and that I can handle rejection if this is not the time for my book to be written and published!
As always, I appreciate and need your prayers to sustain me!
I thank you my faithful friends! May God bless you in all your endeavors as you seek to serve our Savior in your gifts and talents that He has abundantly imparted to each of you!
Much love my sisterchicks!
Lisa…the sightless wonderer!
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
When Little Boys Grow Up…
When little boys grow up it really tugs on a mother’s heart. You see it coming but somehow, you’re not quite ready for it when it happens. There are so many stages…infant to toddler, child to adolescence, teenager to young adult and then all of the sudden they are a full grown man.
A mother goes from wiping tears, runny noses, and bloody knees and kissing boo, boos to constantly reminding them to take their allergy meds, “don’t forget to use your inhaler before your soccer game and be sure to wear your ankle brace.” Only To finding the inhaler on the kitchen table and making the hour drive to the away game to give the inhaler to your son…just in case he didn’t have a spare one in his gym bag!
Watching them make choices with wisdom beyond their years and then watching them make choices that surely only a brainless alien would make…all the while ready to be there to love and comfort, admonish and encourage.
And then somewhere right around their 25th birthday, they just seem to have it all together. At least in my experience, my “little buddy”, just became such a man. I’ve really noticed his wisdom so much lately. He has turned out to be such a Godly man. He knows when to trust his own judgment and when to seek the counsel of his elders. He remembers to honor his father and mother and do so with such love and respect that it makes my heart swell with pride and my soul sing praise to my Lord for His grace. What a gift my son has been…a precious gift from my heavenly Father. What a blessing to see the fruits of our labor as parents in our son…a pure joy and blessing it is to be his Mom.
I thank you God and Jeffrey! All my love,
Mom
When little boys grow up it really tugs on a mother’s heart. You see it coming but somehow, you’re not quite ready for it when it happens. There are so many stages…infant to toddler, child to adolescence, teenager to young adult and then all of the sudden they are a full grown man.
A mother goes from wiping tears, runny noses, and bloody knees and kissing boo, boos to constantly reminding them to take their allergy meds, “don’t forget to use your inhaler before your soccer game and be sure to wear your ankle brace.” Only To finding the inhaler on the kitchen table and making the hour drive to the away game to give the inhaler to your son…just in case he didn’t have a spare one in his gym bag!
Watching them make choices with wisdom beyond their years and then watching them make choices that surely only a brainless alien would make…all the while ready to be there to love and comfort, admonish and encourage.
And then somewhere right around their 25th birthday, they just seem to have it all together. At least in my experience, my “little buddy”, just became such a man. I’ve really noticed his wisdom so much lately. He has turned out to be such a Godly man. He knows when to trust his own judgment and when to seek the counsel of his elders. He remembers to honor his father and mother and do so with such love and respect that it makes my heart swell with pride and my soul sing praise to my Lord for His grace. What a gift my son has been…a precious gift from my heavenly Father. What a blessing to see the fruits of our labor as parents in our son…a pure joy and blessing it is to be his Mom.
I thank you God and Jeffrey! All my love,
Mom
Saturday, May 10, 2008
The Joys of Motherhood
From infant coos, to high school woos...
From tear stained faces, to social graces...
From bloody knees to runny noses...
From paper dolls to sun-dried roses...
From chicken pox to chicken soup...
From daytime fevers to nighttime croup...
From little kittens to puppy dogs...
From garden snakes to pollywogs...
From bed-time prayers, to good night kisses...
From grass stained dresses to dirty dishes...
From broken hearts, to brand new starts...
From baby girls in little curls...
To grownup women in strands of pearls...
From little boys with broken arms...
To handsome men with manly charms...
From Sunday school, to Baptismal pool...
From a mother’s knee, to eternity…
Children, such precious gifts from God to thee!
Lisa Shearin
May 9, 2006
From infant coos, to high school woos...
From tear stained faces, to social graces...
From bloody knees to runny noses...
From paper dolls to sun-dried roses...
From chicken pox to chicken soup...
From daytime fevers to nighttime croup...
From little kittens to puppy dogs...
From garden snakes to pollywogs...
From bed-time prayers, to good night kisses...
From grass stained dresses to dirty dishes...
From broken hearts, to brand new starts...
From baby girls in little curls...
To grownup women in strands of pearls...
From little boys with broken arms...
To handsome men with manly charms...
From Sunday school, to Baptismal pool...
From a mother’s knee, to eternity…
Children, such precious gifts from God to thee!
Lisa Shearin
May 9, 2006
Friday, May 9, 2008
Once Upon a Time
Once upon a time there was a little girl…
She had beautiful blonde hair and the cutest little dimple. She was the middle child in the family and at some point dubbed herself “Cinderella”. But her parents never really treated her like Cinderella. They loved her just as much as the other children. This child was just a little more headstrong and determined to have and do things in her own way and in her own time.
She became a non-conformist, which served her well through her high school and college years. She never succumbed to the pressures of her peers to partake in the evils of the world and abide in alcohol and drugs.
She seemed to enjoy life more than most people her age. She knew how to have fun and could make everyone laugh just by imitating the voices of characters in movies like Shrek.
Yes, she could frustrate her parents and siblings because she could be quick tempered…especially if she didn’t get her required 10 hours of sleep a night…and she has a low tolerance for stupidity in others (which she gets from her father’s side of the family)!
She is very passionate about the things SHE believes in and doesn’t give a hoot about the things she doesn’t. She plays to win or she doesn’t play. She loves the Lord and works for Him each day. She isn’t perfect, but who is. She is still growing in her faith, maturity, in learning what it means to be responsible to God family and country and friends.
Most of all, she is my daughter and I love her, appreciate her, pray for her, and am thankful that she is also my friend.
I Thank God for blessing me with such a wonderful young woman who is more than a daughter, she is also my friend! I love you, Allison
Once upon a time there was a little girl…
She had beautiful blonde hair and the cutest little dimple. She was the middle child in the family and at some point dubbed herself “Cinderella”. But her parents never really treated her like Cinderella. They loved her just as much as the other children. This child was just a little more headstrong and determined to have and do things in her own way and in her own time.
She became a non-conformist, which served her well through her high school and college years. She never succumbed to the pressures of her peers to partake in the evils of the world and abide in alcohol and drugs.
She seemed to enjoy life more than most people her age. She knew how to have fun and could make everyone laugh just by imitating the voices of characters in movies like Shrek.
Yes, she could frustrate her parents and siblings because she could be quick tempered…especially if she didn’t get her required 10 hours of sleep a night…and she has a low tolerance for stupidity in others (which she gets from her father’s side of the family)!
She is very passionate about the things SHE believes in and doesn’t give a hoot about the things she doesn’t. She plays to win or she doesn’t play. She loves the Lord and works for Him each day. She isn’t perfect, but who is. She is still growing in her faith, maturity, in learning what it means to be responsible to God family and country and friends.
Most of all, she is my daughter and I love her, appreciate her, pray for her, and am thankful that she is also my friend.
I Thank God for blessing me with such a wonderful young woman who is more than a daughter, she is also my friend! I love you, Allison
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
I see that you are handicapped…
I see that you are handicapped…
I bet you’re wondering what I mean by that.
You have all your fingers and all your toes…
The five senses, you have all of those.
I on the other hand cannot see…
And yes, I know, you feel sorry for me.
But save your sorrow for another day…
My heavenly Father made me this way.
He chose me to spread His Holy word…
Because of my blindness, so many have heard.
Now let’s get back to your handicap…
It’s your vision, I’m sure of that.
You see with eyes everyone you meet…
You look them over from head to feet.
But you could see so much more…
If their outer garments you could ignore.
I’m not influenced by their skin, clothes or hair…
Do their shoes match their purse, I just don’t care.
Tattoos and tongue rings you can’t help but see…
Sometimes it’s good to be blind, like me!
Their home, his car, her jewelry box…
Surely, they don’t wear black shoes with white socks.
You judge at first, by what you see…
I am blessed because that never happens with me.
I see others with my heart, it’s true…
I judge them by what they say and do.
I challenge you, my sighted friends…
To let go your handicap, begin again.
Turn a blind eye to skin, clothes, and hair…
And your life will be blessed beyond compare.
Lisa ShearinJan. 27, 2006
I see that you are handicapped…
I bet you’re wondering what I mean by that.
You have all your fingers and all your toes…
The five senses, you have all of those.
I on the other hand cannot see…
And yes, I know, you feel sorry for me.
But save your sorrow for another day…
My heavenly Father made me this way.
He chose me to spread His Holy word…
Because of my blindness, so many have heard.
Now let’s get back to your handicap…
It’s your vision, I’m sure of that.
You see with eyes everyone you meet…
You look them over from head to feet.
But you could see so much more…
If their outer garments you could ignore.
I’m not influenced by their skin, clothes or hair…
Do their shoes match their purse, I just don’t care.
Tattoos and tongue rings you can’t help but see…
Sometimes it’s good to be blind, like me!
Their home, his car, her jewelry box…
Surely, they don’t wear black shoes with white socks.
You judge at first, by what you see…
I am blessed because that never happens with me.
I see others with my heart, it’s true…
I judge them by what they say and do.
I challenge you, my sighted friends…
To let go your handicap, begin again.
Turn a blind eye to skin, clothes, and hair…
And your life will be blessed beyond compare.
Lisa ShearinJan. 27, 2006
Friday, May 2, 2008
Tried to impress, ended in distress
Tried to impress, ended in distress!
I decided I needed to broaden my circle of friends so I joined a Bible study with a group of ladies, of which I knew none. I volunteered to bring refreshments to our second meeting thinking that I would make my Hawaiian dessert or banana split pie as some call it. Well, I ended up not having all the ingredients, nor time or transportation to get and make that dessert in time. So, I settled for donuts from Sherry’s Bakery. As is always my dilemma, finding a way to pick up the donuts was a little problem but my precious friend, Danielle came through for me!
I had the cups, napkins, donuts and just needed Lee to pick up ice and drinks on our way to Bible Study that night.
Bible Study starts at 7 so I emailed Lee a reminder at work so he would be home on time…but of course, something went wrong. Lee doesn’t arrive home until 7:09 and we dash off to the grocery to get drinks and ice and arrive at Bible study around 7:35. The ladies were glad to have the delicious donuts and didn’t give me too difficult of a time for being late….especially since half the donuts were chocolate!
We are studying the book of James. This week we studied Chapter 2 and how Christians should treat everyone the same…having no prejudice toward social class, wealth, or lack there of, color of skin or nationality, job, or anything else that cause us to esteem one person or group above another. This lesson went along so well with my poem” I See that you are Handicapped” that I intended to take a copy for the group. But as the rest of my plans for that day were going…I left it at home. So, at the request of my dear friend, Essie, I will attempt to post it on my blog at a later date.
I decided I needed to broaden my circle of friends so I joined a Bible study with a group of ladies, of which I knew none. I volunteered to bring refreshments to our second meeting thinking that I would make my Hawaiian dessert or banana split pie as some call it. Well, I ended up not having all the ingredients, nor time or transportation to get and make that dessert in time. So, I settled for donuts from Sherry’s Bakery. As is always my dilemma, finding a way to pick up the donuts was a little problem but my precious friend, Danielle came through for me!
I had the cups, napkins, donuts and just needed Lee to pick up ice and drinks on our way to Bible Study that night.
Bible Study starts at 7 so I emailed Lee a reminder at work so he would be home on time…but of course, something went wrong. Lee doesn’t arrive home until 7:09 and we dash off to the grocery to get drinks and ice and arrive at Bible study around 7:35. The ladies were glad to have the delicious donuts and didn’t give me too difficult of a time for being late….especially since half the donuts were chocolate!
We are studying the book of James. This week we studied Chapter 2 and how Christians should treat everyone the same…having no prejudice toward social class, wealth, or lack there of, color of skin or nationality, job, or anything else that cause us to esteem one person or group above another. This lesson went along so well with my poem” I See that you are Handicapped” that I intended to take a copy for the group. But as the rest of my plans for that day were going…I left it at home. So, at the request of my dear friend, Essie, I will attempt to post it on my blog at a later date.
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