Tag: faith

HUMILITY

This Christmas season one thing that has struck me is thinking about the humility surrounding Christ’s entrance into this world.
From the different definitions, from a quick google search, for the word humility, I like the following definition the best:

the feeling or attitude that you have no special importance that makes you better than others; lack of pride.

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Let’s first take a look at Mary, the mother of Jesus.  In my eyes, I consider Mary to be a woman who exemplifies humility.
We do not hear of her being popular in this world or of high status.
Here she was just a young gal, “…a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David.”  –Luke 1:27 (NIV)  
The angel, Gabriel told Mary,  “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.”  –Luke 1:35 (NIV)
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.  –Luke 1:38  (NIV)  I think that final response displays humility on Mary’s part. She is trusting God and ready to be a part of His plan.
Mary gave us a powerful example of humility, yet she graciously accepted God’s plan of being the mother of Jesus! She was the humble maid servant of God who through the Holy Spirit birthed our Savior!

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Just as important is to keep in mind the humility of Joseph.
 Upon first hearing that Mary was going to have a child, he did have in mind to divorce her quietly, but when “…an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”  –Matthew 1:20-21  (NIV), Joseph did what the angel had commanded him to do.
Taking someone to be your wife, when she is pregnant with the Son of God is humility on Joseph’s part. He, too, gave us a powerful example of doing what God tells you to do despite what others may think.
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Photo credit by frankieleon under Creative Commons License (CC BY 2.0)
At Christmas time, I think it is always a blessing to ponder the circumstances of Christ’s birth. Despite being the Savior of the world, He was certainly born in humility!  
How many people do you know were born while their parents were at the end of a three day walking trip back to their home town to register for a census?  “While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.” –Luke 2:6-7  (NIV)
Imagine giving birth to the Savior of the world in a barn like place and having to place the baby in an animal trough because there were no rooms available!

Jesus was born in the humblest of ways, yet He is the Savior of the world!  Being the Savior of the world is the ultimate success that anyone could experience.

So, this Christmas season, I pray that you ponder the powerful example of humility that Mary, Joseph, and Jesus gave to us over 2,000 years ago.
Let us focus on what we can learn and apply to our lives from their humility yet success in fulfilling God’s plan for their lives and for our sake. And let us lead lives in humility yet successful ways for our loving God!
May you remember the reason for the season….celebrating our Savior and the freedom He has brought us!
Merry Christmas my dear friends!
…God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time.  –1 Peter 5:5-6  (NIV)
So the last will be first, and the first will be last.  –Matthew 20:16  (NIV)

FAITH & TRUST

Fall time in the northeast USA is always a breath-taking blessing to experience. I find it a beautiful season where you can see God’s hand working to make such a beautiful masterpiece which we get to  behold with our eyes.  The green leaves on the trees start to turn to different hues of yellow, orange, or red. It is quite a sight to view. For those that have never experienced the fall time colors, I do hope someday you will be able to! Seeing the rolling hills and mountains, especially in the beautiful fall array of colors that God provides, brings me into a closer relationship with the Creator.
I recently had the privilege of going on a short day trip in fall time where, as is typical, I just felt enveloped in the Lord’s presence. It was as if His majestic power and beauty was all around me as I looked upon the “Grand Canyon of PA” in Wellsboro, PA.
There are different stopping points where you can view nature all around you.  It was actually quite a trek to go from one scenic part to another. For me, it was a trek that exercised my faith and trust in God. It made me think about that in my life, especially since I was alone at this point in the trip.
The other factor was that this whole trek was basically with no cell service..no way to contact anyone if something happened.
What if I had a flat tire? What if the car broke down? What if something happened? I tried to put those thoughts out of my head and trust the Lord just like we must continually do everyday of our lives. Listening to some Mac Powell country music also seemed fitting to help me relax.
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Things didn’t get off to a great start. As I was leaving stop 1, there seemed to be this dirt road that was quite narrow. I thought it seemed more like a walking path but it seemed to be where the GPS was taking me. Thankfully it wasn’t too long before a closed gate was my clue that indeed it was just a walking path! I had to back up the car until I came to a parking lot to turn around, as the road was too narrow to do anything else.
Stop 2 is where there was a gorgeous view, though the trees were mostly just green and yellow, not so colorful on this particular day. Getting to Stop 2 took faith & trust in God and the GPS, that I’m never quite sure of! I still find it strange that one day the GPS can take you one way and another day it will take you a different path! My husband always says is a very complicated algorithm and wonders if I’m up to perfecting it!
At one point, I crossed over a paved road and end up on this dirt road that had a big incline and seemed only big enough for one car! I sure prayed a car wouldn’t be coming the other way!! At first I was doubting the GPS, but I figured at least the time was counting down to my arrival time so I had no choice but to trust it.  Sure enough I made it to stop 2!!
Stop 2 is where, looking all around, I definitely felt God’s majesty envelope me–the huge, massive hills–and I don’t know if you can see it, but to me, it looks like a giant heart carved in the scenery that only the Creator could do! I love the pictures that also have bodies of water in them.
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I couldn’t decide whether to venture down one of the trails but finally settled on going down this one. Once again, those “What If” thoughts would go through my head. In case you don’t know, I’m not really the mountain climber type, and I was all alone….What if I fell?  What if I got lost?  What if…  But, again, I tried to put those thoughts out of my head and decided to trust and have faith.
The view was awesome from this one outlook so I ended up being thankful that I did venture down the path. It was a closer up view of some of the water. I am always blessed reflecting on the beauty of the water.
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Stop 3 was actually a good 50 minute ride; once again with intense curves, narrow roads, some one lane bridges where you prayed no one was coming and you just went for it, and roads that required me to step out in faith. I was very thankful there wasn’t too much traffic going my way so I could go slower when I felt the need especially being on such unfamiliar roads.  The drive was kind of cool because at points you were close to the water and the sides of the massive mountains. It was like you were right at the base and could see how massive and majestic they were. These hills were covered with a beautiful array of yellow trees.
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I enjoyed Stop 3 where I pulled out my chair, journal, and started to pen my adventure. This stop was the perfect spot…located near the water where a few people were even fishing. I, in my typical fashion, sat to soak up the “Son’s” presence. At times you could only hear the wind blow, at other times the bird’s echoing squawks could be heard. When I’m near bodies of water and feel the Lord’s presence, I think about how often Jesus was near the water, calling the disciples, calming the water, etc.
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I knew I was definitely in the Lord’s presence when I looked up in the sky. What first caught my eye were three “different” looking clouds; the only ones gracing the clear blue sky. And right among those three clouds was a lone bird. Now, I always love to see the birds flying in the air near the water and want to capture the moment with a photograph. Unfortunately, I was unable to capture a good, clear enough picture of the three birds this time. There appeared this one bird who then left this cloud area, and was quickly joined by a second bird,  and just like I’ve experienced before, a third finally appeared…always reminding me of God the Father, Jesus His Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Three in one in ME!
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God is big and sure makes His Presence known to us in the beauty of nature. Take a  moment and enjoy His presence today!
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.  –Psalm 139:7-10 (NIV)
And, continue to trust God to help you through your struggles and have faith that His Presence, the Holy Spirit, is with you always!
Trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding.  –Proverbs 3:5  (NIV)

ADVERSITY

I continue to be blessed by and in awe of those people I meet who have had what I consider, great adversity, in their life.
As only the Lord could work out, last weekend, my youngest son accompanied my husband and me to a dinner & social gathering at some friends’ of ours.  They usually have these Sunday night gatherings that are open to any family and friends that are available.  They usually cook the main staple and the attendees pitch in and bring a dish to pass. (Thanks, Ken & Sandy, for being so kind and generous and sharing the love of the Lord with us all!)
Toward the end of this past Sunday, the three of us “happened” to sit down at the table where this gal in a wheelchair was. (Maybe it was because that is where the desserts were!) We overheard this gal ask these other two people if they were going to be around the next weekend and wanted to participate in a Big Ball tournament which is an annual benefit to help this gal with medical expenses.
My son, the baseball enthusiast, looked over at me and said he’d love to play. At the time,we had possible plans to be out of town, but I said if we did not go out of town, that would be fine for him to participate.
As you may guess, we did not go out of town, and my son got to play Big Ball for the first time! I was blessed to drive and accompany him to the benefit as well as be there to watch him play.
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                                                Ready to run to third base!
While watching my son play three Big Ball games on Saturday and one on Sunday, I had the true blessing of talking with this gal, her father, her mother and step-father.  In my book, they are all wonderful examples of people overcoming adversity in their life and making the best of it.
When I’m at these events, I find myself praying for the people and thinking of how inspiring their lives are to me. I brought things to help pass the time, but I didn’t need any of that. I just got lost in my thinking and praying.
Can you imagine what it must be like to…..
 
 
….be paralyzed for the past 8 years
 
 
…to not have use of your arms, hands, or legs
 
 
…to not be able to walk
 
 
…to be told you’d never drive
 
 
…to not let your situation get you defeated?
Well, this gal, through lots of determination and perseverance, rather than stubbornness (the word her father used) has regained the use of both arms and hands! And, she was determined to drive….and she does now! She has her goal set on walking again one day, and I really hope she does!
What a true inspiration and living example of how to not let adversity get the best of you.
It is pure joy to talk with her, to hear her positive outlook on life and to see her overcome so many obstacles. She has had numerous surgeries for several different ailments.  But through it all, she has a wonderful, peaceful attitude.
She currently endures a three hour drive each way four times a month for medical intervention.
I am so thankful that my son wanted to be a part of the Big Ball tournament. I know my life was blessed by talking with this amazing gal and her family.
Like I said, it was my son’s first experience playing Big Ball. He was part of one of the non-competitive teams which was a mish-mash of people from young to older, with a range of no Big Ball experience to years of experience.  Unfortunately, they lost all four games so then the tournament ended for them.
The last game was a tough loss as both teams had not scored until that final inning, and if they lost then they were out of the tournament.  His team was up first in the inning and scored two runs.  The other team had their last ups, and  ended up getting three runs with two outs.
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                                               Ready to play defense!
It was a tough loss for my son because the team fell apart defensively during that last inning.  And, to make matters worse, he ended up making one error that did not help the situation.  It reminded him too much of the last game of his travel baseball season where it was the same kind of situation.
I always find it difficult to know what to say at times like that. In thinking about it now, maybe I missed an opportunity to tell him some about adversity and even sharing more about this gal. I always try to tell him to do his best, and it’s never one person’s fault if you lose a game…it’s a team.
My heart smiled a few times when first the gal’s mom (which I didn’t know at the time) wondered who that second baseman was. I was a little hesitant to say that was my son, since I wasn’t sure if she was going to say something good or bad. Thankfully, it was good…she said, “He is good.” (I breathed a sigh of relief!)
On Sunday, the gal’s step-dad came to me and introduced himself and said, “You have a fine young man there.”
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   Photo credit by BK under Creative Commons License (CC BY 2.0)
All of this also made me think about adversity….
…maybe you are an athlete and do lose almost every game you play
…maybe you have cancer or some other chronic illness
…maybe you have a loved one serving in the military and they are deployed
…maybe your spouse died unexpectedly
…maybe you are trying to find someplace to live
…maybe you are unemployed and need to find a job
…maybe your child has some kind of addiction.
Through all of these things, our attitude and perspective on life is so vital to how we handle the situation.
We can dwell on the negative and let that defeat us…
or
We can choose to dwell on the positive and try to overcome our situation one step at a time!  As this gal often reminds herself, there is always someone else worse off.
I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.  –John 16:33 (NIV)
 
So, I encourage you to try to take that first step to overcome whatever adversity you are facing  in your life today.  Try to reach out to another to help encourage you or help you in some way, and always remember you are not alone….God is with you through it all!
…And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.  –Matthew 2:20 (NIV)

CHANGE

How many times do we, as humans, resist change in our lives? 

Do you ever get set in your routine and ways, and don’t think that change is necessary?

We are probably the creatures that have the hardest time with change.  As I look around this beautiful world God created, it occurs to me how the Lord made everything to change.

Maybe we can learn some lessons about change by looking at the world around us.

Consider the birds of the air.

Some birds change colors with the various seasons; some birds migrate to different places in order to survive each year.  Their environment is constantly changing, but they adapt in order to survive.


The oceans change too.

Sometimes the waters are calm and serene, while at other times they are rough and full of waves.  At two different times each day, the tide comes in and then goes out.  The oceans serve the purpose God has in mind for them.

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Photo credit by Lara under Creative Commons License (CC BY 2.0)

Even the trees experience change in their lives with the different seasons.

In the spring the trees grow new leaves that are green, and in the summer they grow bigger and bigger.  When fall comes, the leaves change such beautiful colors, and then, as the weather cools, they eventually fall off their branches.  In the winter, there are no leaves, but the trees are preparing to start changing again.  The trees bring us a sense of awe and wonder in their change, but they are really fulfilling the laws of nature that God has set in place.

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Photo credit by Ted under Creative Commons License (CC BY-SA 2.0)

The skies change many times during a day as well. 

Sometimes there are clouds that bring in rain, sometimes snow.  And, sometimes the sky lacks even the hint of a cloud–it is just crystal clear blue.  Sometimes the sky shows God’s beautiful red sunset.  Again, this is such magnificent beauty, and a plan of nature set in place by God.

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The Lord also created our physical bodies to change throughout our lives.

Did you ever stop to think how little you were when you were in your mother’s womb?  Your physical body endured many changes before you made your grand appearance on this earth! And for the next 18 or so years your body grew in leaps and bounds. Maybe you suffered some ailments when you were a child and actually outgrew them as you got older because of the way your physical body changed. Personally, I was thankful when I finished growing as a teen so that my scoliosis did not get any worse. After enduring years of allergy shots, I was blessed to outgrow my allergies. Even as adults, our bodies continue to change. It is all part of God’s plan.

The next time change comes into your life, remember how God made everything in the universe to change–it is a natural part of life. Change can help us grow in ways we never thought possible.

Since the Lord made all these “things” to change in so many ways, how much more must He expect our hearts and spirits to change throughout our lives?

He wants to continually change us—to make us more in His image.

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.  –2 Corinthians 3:18 (NIV)

He can only do this if we are willing to accept change and to surrender our lives to Him. 

We shouldn’t be so afraid of change since the Lord wouldn’t lead us astray, and He is always with us no matter what!

To be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.  –Ephesians 4:23-24 (NIV)

TRUSTING FAITH

Have you ever thought about how much we end up “trusting” in our life? Throughout our entire life, there are so many people and things in this world that we trust our lives to.

When we entered this world, we were so innocent and helpless.  Our lives were dependent on our parents or guardians.  They took on the responsibility of supplying our many needs and nurturing us until we could care for ourselves.

Doctors are people we trust when we are ill and seek medical attention.  We probably don’t think that much about doctors, until we need one—that is when we trust in their skill and knowledge.  We put our very lives in their hands.

Many times each day we trust our lives to some form of transportation—whether it be cars, boats, trains or planes.  We just hop in the vehicle without thinking twice of the risk involved in the vehicle or the person in charge.  We trust that the vehicle will function properly and that the person operating it knows what he or she is doing.

Shouldn’t we trust our God even more than all these people and things?

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Photo credit by Art4TheGlryOfGod under Creative Commons License (CC BY-ND 2.0)

Trust God to……

…fill that “empty” space in your heart

…be your Lord and Savior

…fill your heart with peace

…lead you to do His will

…keep you safe in Him

…provide people in your life to encourage you

…provide people in your life to help you grow spiritually

…make it through each day living victoriously even if your circumstances are bad.

God created the entire earth and all that is in it—from the white, puffy clouds to the littlest insect and to you and me.  He has enabled humans to do so much and empowered us to use our brains to grow in knowledge.  Our God is all-powerful and awesome!  Trust in Him and have faith that He will guide your every step.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.  –Proverbs 3:5-6

CRASHING DOWN

Have you ever been in a situation where it seemed you are on top of the world and everything seemed too good to be true? And then you know what comes next…Your world seems to come crashing down on you. Sometimes it just seems so unfair and you don’t know how you are going to deal with the issue at hand.

Can you think of a time when you felt like that in your life?

For me, I can think of three times in the last few years where I felt that desperation.

One example would be when I was diagnosed with Stage 0 DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ) Breast Cancer. It is the “best” stage and form to have, but at the same time, it was like a life sentence. The Breast Center seemed to still treat it as “cancer”, and even sent me all kinds of brochures on support groups, etc. To this day, I struggle with saying “I have cancer.” I think it is because it seems  that something with a Stage 0 should be insignificant.

There were a few months of torture, first waiting for tests to determine the diagnosis, then researching options, and talking with others who have had a similar issue.  That was followed by trying to decide what treatment options to pursue, seeing specialists, having one surgery, then finding out I needed a second one a week later and waiting for results.  Thankfully, things have turned out well so far, and I was spared much compared to most people. I am forever grateful for that.  In fact, to this day I wonder why the Lord would spare me, yet so many others suffer through so much more.

Every check up time, I still get nervous and anxious because you just never know if you will remain clear.  Thankfully, there are friends and family there to encourage and support me with a scripture or words of faith at those times.

I have seen friends who have lost their loved ones, had miscarriages, or  gone through so much hardship with their children. Your world crashing down on you could even be something as simple as the thought of losing a friendship over some misunderstanding.

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Photo credit NEWS OF PEACE under Creative Commons License (CC BY-2.0)

When my world comes crashing down, I know I have found that my faith gets shaken, even though I like to think it is strong. Sometimes it is hard to be strong when your world comes crashing down.

So what can we do to try to stay strong in our faith?

***Surround ourselves with faithful people who will encourage us and help lift us up.

***Listen to encouraging Christian music to help inspire us.

***Ask other Christians to pray for us.

***Read the Bible and other encouraging Christian books.

***Look for God’s blessings through the tough times.

***Remind ourselves that God is still in control and leading us even when we don’t feel it.

When we are experiencing these tough times in our lives, it is important to reach out to God and others.

Just as important is trying to be aware of when others need our compassion, listening ear, or encouragement to help them make it through difficult time. Are we there for them when they need a human touch of kindness?

“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.  Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”  –Psalm 34:17-19

ACCOUNTABILITY

In this world of ours, I think an important thing to remember is that our life is accountable to God and God alone.  The people that we become and the things we do should be based on our relationship with God.  We are only responsible for our own actions, and we need to make sure our heart is right.

I think it is a good thing to keep in mind daily that what others may think about a decision or choice we make does not matter. Other’s opinion of us should not influence our choice.  What God thinks is what should determine the direction we take.

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crossroads by Lori Greig under Creative Commons License
(CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Reading the Bible, studying teachings, and praying are different ways to know what God wants from us. Sometimes seeking Godly counsel is the path we need to follow to help us along the way.

For those of us with children, it is easy for us to slip into thinking that if our children’s decisions or choices are not the ones that we would make, that it is a reflection of us.   We need to realize our children become responsible for themselves as they mature.  We try our best to lay the best foundation we can, and then it is up to them how they ultimately live their life. Not having that control is hard for many of us. I need to continually remind myself that I tried my best and that the rest is up to the Lord. As a friend once told me, the Lord deals with each of us in our own way in His own time.

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Holy Bible by maf04   under Creative Commons License (CC BY-SA/2.0)

So, remember to base your decisions and live your life by being accountable to God and God alone. And, you are only ultimately responsible for yourself.

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him.  The Lord does not look at the things man looks at.  Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”  –1 Samuel 16:7

PRAYING FOR OTHERS

Recently I have taken seriously the gift of praying for other people.  There are so many people who need prayer, and it is an honor to be able to join in and pray for those who need it.  Prayer is neat because you can really do it anytime and anywhere…whether you are driving somewhere , taking a quick break from work , or when you are rocking a baby to sleep.

What renewed and inspired my praying for others was when the road pastor for Third Day, Nigel James, put a tweet out about praying for the band as they were working on a new album. At that time I committed to it via a tweet. For me, I figured as I was driving to and from work three times a week listening to their music, I would pray for God to bless their new album and work on it. My prayers for them was not just limited to that time, but that was the minimum.

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From left to right: Mark Lee, Mac Powell, Nigel James, Tai
Anderson, David Carr, Scotty Wilbanks

I continued to do so while they were working on the album, and then I felt compelled to take each of the band members and pray for a whole week at a time for one specific member, their family, their music, etc.   I felt it was also a nice gesture to try to let them know via social media that I was praying specifically for them.   It made my day when one member replied that he appreciated it.  I know the Lord is blessing them through the prayers, and I feel good doing what I felt led to do whether they respond or not.

When learning of a few other musicians that have been working on special projects, I have since expanded to include them in my weekly prayers.

It is an honor to be able to pray for people which usually ends up being in their time of need.  I’m sure we all know of a friend who has lost a loved one, someone struggling with a chronic illness, the student needing prayer to help them survive their intense classes, the worker so overwhelmed with the stress of work, and the list goes on and on.  Praying for them can make a difference in their life, and you will feel blessed in praying for them.

So I encourage you to pray for those you know who need prayer. There are so many needs in the world today, and you can help make a difference by praying. Letting the person know you have been praying specifically for them should bless them too.

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.  The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”  –James 5:16