GUEST BLOGGER: Karen Guzman

Karen Guzman Greenwood

When God comes alongside us with comfort or an answer we seek, we thank Him. We are grateful, sometimes beyond words, that He has heard and answered, that he has made his presence known. He is near. There is nothing better, and so we give thanks.

Then we move on.

Have you ever noticed that? Too quickly, too eagerly, we move on. A sort of spiritual amnesia sets in as we look ahead to the next obstacle, the next worry. That prayer of gratitude too quickly becomes, “Thanks, Lord, and what can you do for me next?”

 Some very dear Christian friends gifted my husband and me with author Sarah Young’s daily devotional book “Jesus Calling” this past Christmas. The pages overflow with wisdom and insights into God’s nature. They often bring us to a stop. They still us. Everything else falls away, the worries and anxieties, the to-do list, as His voice cuts through the din, straight to the heart and mind. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it reallydoes.

 In one entry, Young weighs in on the power of gratitude—in our lives and, more importantly, in our relationship with God. In her book, Young draws on Scripture to create passages designed to mimic the voice of Jesus talking. It’s a bold technique and a very effective one. In her gratitude passage, she writes:

 “It is impossible to praise or thank me too much. As it is written, I inhabit the praises of MY people. Sometimes your adoration is a spontaneous overflow of Joy, in response to radiant beauty of rich blessings. At other times your praise is more disciplined and measured—an act of your will. I dwell equally in both types of praise. Thankfulness, also, is a royal road to draw near Me. A thankful heart has plenty of room for Me.”

 I’ve been thinking more about praise, about thanksgiving, lately. Our relationship with Christ is, like all relationships, a two-way street. But it’s not a quid pro quo—you do this for me, and I do that for you. He has already done all the heavy lifting. Gratitude is born in the heart when we realize the enormity of His love. It sometimes comes via the sudden revelation that He has heard, that He is listening to us.

 How do we thank almighty God for hearing us and for letting us know that He has? There aren’t enough words. There aren’t enough deeds. But there can be the glimmer of a heart transformed, reaching out in love and humility and deepest gratitude to Him.

 I want to linger in these moments a little longer and carry them with me.

GUEST BLOGGER: Karen Guzman Greenwood

Years ago, I read a short story titled “Talking to Charlie.” I can’t remember the author’s name or where it was published, but I’ve never forgotten the story. It centers on a newly divorced man who has taken a leave from his job in the tech field to grieve his divorce.

As he considers the choices and mistakes he’s made and the strange new place he finds himself in, the man reminds himself that, amidst all the upheaval in his life, the “one I should be talking to is Charlie.” Charlie is his boss at the tech company and is key to helping the man keep, at least, his career on track.

This “Charlie” takes on an almost mythic, all-powerful quality in the story. In my reading, I understood Charlie to be a stand-in, a metaphor, for God.

I had eye surgery in May. An unexpected and frightening condition popped up, and the experts recommended a surgery which would entail a long recovery. To say I was scared is an understatement. Signing the lengthy liability release form, a catalogue of any- and everything that could go wrong, didn’t help. Like anyone, I reached out and shared my concerns with those I trust—family members, church friends, colleagues. A lot of very good people have been praying for me, and they have helped so much.

Along the way, I also recalled the Charlie story, and I realized that while my friends and family have been critical, “the one I really should be talking to is Jesus.”

I had been talking to Him in prayer, but somehow, I saw anew that He is the singular most important one I need to turn to and lean on. First. Other people are a blessing and a gift, but Jesus is in it in a way that only He can be. Bringing my situation to Him and remembering that His sufficient grace is enough was what I needed most. And I was so grateful to be reminded. I am still in recovery, and it’s not easy, but I know the one I need talk to.

Thank you to Peter Keast of the Amazing Grace Food Pantry for these kind words:

To our friends at Fellowship Church,

A funny and true story from my past.  A few years back on a Wednesday, the one remaining clean dress shirt in my closet had a mark on it from an iron. I wore it anyway because the rest were in the laundry and my suit jacket just covered the mark.  I walk my dogs before work, and the calmer of my two rather large dogs decided that morning that a deer crossing the road would be fun to chase.  She pulled free and ran off.  I let her go. I worked at a car dealership, and on that particular day I had driven a customer’s car home to see if I could replicate a problem so we could fix it.  After drying off a wet Labrador who had just finished chasing a deer through the neighborhood, I got into the car, turned the key, and nothing.  No noise, no click, nothing.  I got a charger out of my garage, hooked up the car, and in about 15 minutes, it started.  I left for work.

I was already 30 minutes late, so I decided to stop and treat myself to a $3 cup of coffee at Dunkin Donuts.  Why is it that when you are in a hurry, the rest of the world isn’t?  It was nearly 9:30 AM when I pulled into the drive through.  There should not have been a line at that hour.  There was a line, and for what seemed like a long time, it did not move.  I was getting more and more agitated. Then a little voice in my head said, “Buy the person behind you a coffee this morning. You’ll feel better.”

“Hogwash!  I want my coffee and I want this morning to be over,” I said aloud.

The voice persisted.  “Buy the person in the car behind you a coffee this morning.  You’ll feel better.”

“Please… go… away.” I said aloud.  By then, I was sure that anyone within earshot knew that I was a proper nut job.  I moved one car-length further forward.  Then I looked in the mirror.  The car behind me was an old Dodge Neon, one of the least proud accomplishments of the Chrysler Corporation.  It didn’t appear to be running well. The driver looked stressed, apparently as late for work as I was.  I wondered if, unlike mine, her job might be in jeopardy.  At 9:45, I finally got to the window to pick up my coffee.

“Excuse me,” I asked. “How much is the bill for the car behind me?”

“$4.65” the window attendant said.

“Put it on my tab, would you?” I asked.

“I can’t do that, sir,” the attendant said.

Now I was getting angry all over again.  “And why would that be?” I asked firmly.

“Because you have no bill sir.  The person in line in front of you paid it.  Would you still like to cover the $4.65?”

There are so many different lessons I was taught that day.  By some measure a successful businessperson back then, I was well caught up in performance reports, market share and financial statement analysis. Small things also easily annoyed me; my dog having a bit of fun chasing a deer, my 10 year old daughter, unbeknownst to me trying to iron a dress shirt for me, and even discovering why the customer’s car would not start.  There was good in all of that which I was not prepared to see.  It took being stuck in a drive through with absolutely no way to escape to get my attention. Even then, I resisted.

I left a $50 bill with the drive-through attendant that day, the only bill I had, instructing them not to allow anyone to pay until it was gone. I still do that sometimes.  It is fun to think about what others are thinking when they drive up. The little voice was right.  I did feel instantly better, and I think everyone in the line behind me felt a little better too.  Maybe they spread some kindness as a result.  Personally, I had to stop being so self-centered.

Each one of you who donated to Fellowship’s most recent food drive, one in which just over 1600 pounds of food was collected, should think about the family that took home some Prego Spaghetti sauce, some pasta, some peanut butter, some mac n cheese and other meal ingredients that you bought for them last week. They are sitting down to a meal that you have provided, saying Grace, asking God to bless you for nourishing their family.

Don’t get so caught up in life that you don’t take full measure of the good you are doing.  I have the good fortune of seeing the faces of the children, parents and grandparents that you help through life with your generosity.  Like the coffee attendant in the window, I get to see the happiness, the surprise and the gratitude.  Thank you for listening to your own, quiet voice, and know that all of the recipients of your kindness are grateful for you. You are making a difference.

We all have our beliefs on the actual power of prayer. Many of us use it like crossing our fingers. We state a request to God followed by a question mark, even stating if it’s your will – (which let’s face it, if it’s not, it’s not happening). Some of us only go to God in desperation (the atheist in a foxhole analogy). Some of you go to Him daily with more certainty, more of the “you claim it, and it’s happening’ prayer. I’ve used all three. 

Today, I have my biggest prayer request to date.

My beautiful wife Vicki is going in for surgery as she was just diagnosed with breast cancer. This hit me hard, a real punch in the gut. I don’t know how often I tell Vicki that anything can happen on a dime, but this time it really did. Being part of a prayer team, being in ministry, I’ve prayed a lot of prayers on the behalf of others and I’ve seen God do absolutely amazing things – I mean AMAZING! But it sure feels different when it’s this close to home. There is a natural line of questioning we get into:

How will God use this?

How hard will this get?

What conclusion works best for His glory?

What is our role in this? 

What is His will here?

This past year Vicki and I on separate occasions prayed for God to ‘break us’. The meaning behind it was this ‘cookie cutter Christianity’ we were seeing and even living out unintentionally in our own lives sometimes. These past several years, we’ve seen Christians hurting Christians, Christians behaving like love wasn’t an essential of our faith and honestly many of us Christians living a bit too comfortably. We didn’t like it and we needed God to make us a bit uncomfortable and motivate us to walk closer with Him. 

Careful what you pray for.

But if I’m honest, I’d pray it again. God has never more real to us and has never shown Himself more clear. He has shown it to us in the many loving people around us and their willingness to help with anything we need. He has given us far more peace that I expected. He has reassured us in countless ways. We all need to be broken a bit as it helps us to lean better on the only One who can truly repair us. 

As difficult as this is to say, no matter what, I’m all in and I thank Him in advance of what He has in store for our family.

That being said I’m still going to utilize the incredible loved ones in my life (all you reading this) and ask each of you to say a prayer right now for Vicki. God loves when His people talk to Him and God responds! 

From the bottom of my heart, thank you. 

GUEST BLOGGER: Shirley Andersen

The thing you are going through right now isn’t what your world is all about. It’s all about what you do when you get through the thing you are going through now.

That may be a very strange statement, but let me give you my interpretation of it. 

We’re all here for different reasons, different jobs, and different callings.

If we have given our life to God to be used in His service just as “ordinary people” (not someone called by God into full time service…like a Pastor), then we should be active in church. There should be daily prayer and Bible Study. 

Many people my age (60s) may have gone to church for years and now feel as though they have done enough and want to let the younger ones do the work. I don’t believe that is the right attitude. Maybe they don’t want change and they’re comfortable with just Sunday morning worshiping until next Sunday. 

Having lost my father when I was 12 showed me that life is short with no promise of tomorrow. Through the course of life you get busy and forget some of the things we should be doing because life gets in the way. 

You wake up one morning 52 years later and your husband of 40 years has just passed away from a battle with cancer (I’ll admit I stayed too long in my sorrow).

But then I woke up one morning and during my devotion time I read 2 Corinthians 1:4:

“Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”

I know I needed to do more for the Lord. Stop thinking someone else will do it. Stop saying: “I’ll just sit in my house content until next Sunday, dust my Bible off and go back and sit in my place.”

Some people my age may be content with that lifestyle but again… “It’s all about what you do when you get through the thing you are going through.”  

Then the verse says we can comfort others by learning from the times we were comforted by God. Everything we go through in life is an experiences we can use to help or comfort others. Stop feeling like you’re too old or you don’t want to change anything about your life. 

I love helping others. I love changing my routine. I love never knowing what will happen if I just step out in faith. 

I may be a widow but I don’t have to act like one.

I get my strength daily from God, even today as I find myself battling Breast Cancer. Some say how strong I am, NO.  God isn’t putting me through what he thinks I can handle, NO.  I can handle nothing day to day without getting strength from God daily…even hourly if needed. 

It’s all God, not me. 

However, I want people to see God in me. I want to help comfort others because God comforted me. I want to use what I’ve learned by going through my own trials. Job 14:14 says one day we will all be changed. 

In this new year of 2022, we are still striving just to get through ‘it.’  As I started, it’s not just getting through this latest thing, but it’s what you do when you get through the thing.  Will you be the same or will you change for the better while serving God?

Too often the mention of Christmas comes with a sigh. To some, Christmas is an exhaustive attempt to make everyone happy (except yourself). Rushing family to family, preparing extravagant meals, overeating, overspending, sometimes overdrinking, small talk, traditions we may not even like and then in a blink of an eye, it’s over. 

For those of you reading that would call yourself a Christian, this all can be frustrating as all of this rushing around leaves little room for celebration of the reason we’re even celebrating, Jesus! It hit me over 20 years ago as I found myself trapped in this whirlwind of a holiday and saw how rare Jesus was even mentioned.  I found myself most joyful in the short hour I spent at my church celebrating Jesus, singing about Him and hearing a message all about Him along with spending time with other believers who I felt loved by. It was my first experience at FC in which Christmas changed forever. It was because of this focused time that I was no longer going to ignore the reason I’m celebrating. I was going to now be strategic and intentional. Jesus was not going to be unintentionally pushed aside anymore, especially on the day we celebrate His birth! 

So in my continued effort to do so and for some of you that feel this struggle, I give you some advice from several groups I attend and the wonderful people in them:

• Pray before gift opening. Sounds so simple! We never did it. We never thought of it! Shame on us, I guess? A simple prayer of thanks that we have gifts to open and the clarity of Jesus as our true gift and the salvation that comes with knowing Him

• Read The Christmas Story (Luke 1 or Matthew 1) It’s still such a remarkable story. Humble beginnings, uncertainty, trust, and what a gift to all of us!

• The Jesus Box – based on a story my family and I heard, we write down things each family member did throughout the year that was much like Jesus. Ex. Giving to the homeless, opening the door for someone, donating a kidney (my wife changed the game that year!) Put these notes in a box and it’s the last gift you open!

• Birthday Cake for Jesus – the simplicity of actually celebrating and maybe even singing happy birthday to Him puts Him first. 

• YouVersion Christmas Plans – a free app with plenty of great plans leading up to Christmas. 3 day plans, 5 day plans, and some even longer. What a way to get into the Christmas spirit! 

• Time Alone with God – schedule it, find a location that is uninterrupted and peaceful. Be still. Rest in Him. Trust Him. He is at work. Pray real words, be authentic. Let Him know your struggles and trust that He hears you and will do what only He does!

• Attend church - yes, I’d love for you to come to Fellowship this Friday at 3:30 or 5:00 but just attend a church that talks about Jesus and worships Him. You’ll definitely leave better!

I truly hope each one of you has a very special memorable Christmas!

GUEST BLOGGER: Shirley Andersen

If there is one thing I’m known for, it’s crying. When one of my kids or grandkids scraped their knee, didn’t make the sports team, or were hurt by a friend’s harsh words...I cried. The first time my sixteen year old daughter pulled out of the driveway with her new license, when a boy broke her heart, and as she strolled across the stage in her graduation gown...I cry. I remember how I felt when it came time to move her into her dorm room, I feared my tears might be uncontrollable. Although I was proud she was going to college, and as my part as her parent I was to teach her to be a responsible adult and spread her wings, the thought of her leaving seemed unbearable. The idea of not seeing her sweet face and smile every day, coupled with concern over her well-being, made my heart heavy.

I was so extremely proud this past May when my son walked across the stage and received his college diploma. We were even more excited because it took him 25 years! Imagine the bottles and bottles of tears that flowed. I felt tears of happiness, gratitude, excitement, as well as sadness, anxiety, and motherly worry with every life decision either my children or grandchildren made.

When my grandson was planning for his wedding in 2020, you guessed it, I cried.

Knowing how I am, I knew there was so many tears that God may not have a bottle big enough to catch my tears. I often wondered if these situations were enough to be crying over or was I being too emotional. In that moment of mixed emotions, I desperately needed God’s comfort and reassurance, and I found it in Psalm 56:8. God reminds us He is intimately concerned with every aspect of our lives. God doesn’t judge whether our sorrow is “valid”. But because of His compassion, He catches every tear that is shed. It doesn’t matter how big or small, trivial or important, the sorrow might be. In this Psalm, David expressed grief over his situation, which was truly dangerous. Saul wanted his own son to be king of Israel and was hunting David in order to murder him. This forced David to constantly be on the move as he tried to escape. David was grieved, fearful and unsure about the future. Apparently tears flowed as he poured out his feelings to God. “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book” Psalm 56:8.

David drew comfort in knowing that no matter what he was going through, God had great compassion on him and gathered all his precious tears in a bottle. David trusted God with his Life and his future. He wasn’t embarrassed about his tears, and we need not be either, even when we wish we could hold them back.

Life Challenges us. Children grow. Seasons of our life change into normal status quo. When this happens, tears often spring up and efforts to contain them fall short. Dropping your child off at kindergarten, college, or watching them walk down the aisle to their new life can evoke a variety of anxieties and emotions. Remember God has compassion on us and our children. He is present with every tear shed, and we can count on Him to collect them. No matter what sorrow we face today, we can have confidence God cares.

As I’m rereading this it sounds different; some sad and some happy. Believe me these memories are happy. I am certainly known for crying. Yes, if there is anything sensitive happening chances are I’ll be shedding a tear or two or a million or two. It’s time something happy and good happened in our family. The last 12 years have been very difficult. Everyone’s life changed drastically when the most important person in our lives passed away; grandfather, father in law, father and husband. Still these memories were shared with those we love more than anyone, and they are all good. Not all is SAD but HAPPY!!!!!!!!!

My grandson, Corey married Rachael on Valentines Day 2 years ago and now in March 2022, I will be a Great Grandmother!

As I said, seasons change, people change, I just turned 70 years of age, or as I’ve been saying 70 years “OLD”. I have slowed down, moved to Connecticut so my daughter can help me with things I’m not as proficient at things as I used to be, like breathing and walking. Isn’t it sorta funny, things that have been such a part of your life since you were born, now you struggle with. But, then again that is the season’s of life. I know I’m a lot closer to the end of my life than the beginning. Andy used to say “I’m ready to go to heaven, but I’d just as soon take the next bus.” Me too.

However, I can only imagine what heaven will be like when I see Jesus face to face and thank Him for my salvation in person. I’ll thank God for the best family and the most wonderful friends at Fellowship Church that I’ve ever had anywhere.

My next beginning will be different for me, as there are...NO TEARS IN HEAVEN.

Dear Lord, thank you for loving my children and grandchildren even more than I do and for having compassion on them and me. Help me feel Your comfort and reassurance when I face new seasons of life and emotional challenges as a mother. Please tuck my babies under Your wing, guide them in their decisions and keep them safe. Thank you for loving us so much that you sent your Son to the cross for us. How could we not love you in return and try our best to serve you the way you deserve? Thank you for daily leading me, providing for me, helping me be the woman you want me to be. God thank you for caring so much for me as to collect my tears in a bottle.

Amen

Hello, It’s that Texas Lady again. In the course of moving up here from Texas I had to go through my whole house and keep only what was necessary. I wrote out each room and what I would keep from them. As I looked at my list I thought: this has been our home, mine and my late husband’s for awhile. I started thinking about all the good times and sad times, all the times Andy and I were on our knees praying for church members for what seemed hours, The wonderful times of fellowship with church parties, and the joyous Christmas’s with our family. So I also thought maybe there could be something learned about our home that because of our open door policy of any one welcome at any time meant, our home was part of our service to the Lord. So I thought room by room what could I learn ?  This is my list and what I want to take with me to Connecticut:

 Living Room:   Psalm 5:1-3 “Give ear to my words, O Jehovah, Consider my meditation. 2 Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God; For unto thee do I pray. 3 O Jehovah, in the morning shalt thou hear my voice; In the morning will I order my prayer unto thee, and will keep watch.

Spend time with Jesus every morning. Jesus wants to spend time with us so everyday get in your comfortable chair in the living room with the Word and read, then meet God in prayer, letting the Holy Spirit speak to you.

Dining Room: John 6:51 “I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

Spiritual food is needed to do the will of Him that sent you. His pleasure before ours. Stop striving for your own desires, ambition and get satisfaction in seeking to please Him. Everything else leaves you hungry.

Study: 2 Timothy: 2:15  “Study to show thyself approved unto God,  a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,  rightly dividing the word of truth.” 

The Bible is the word of God!  Study it – Meditate on it and keep it clearly before you.

Workroom:  Acts 20:35  “I have shewed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

What are you producing or creating for the Kingdom of God with your life ? It’s not your ability but your availability. Be sensitive and responsive to what He calls us to do. Trust He knows how to use you. 

Rec. Room or Recreation:  John 15:11  “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” 

Can you take Jesus everywhere with you, especially when you are out for a night of fun ?  We all  need those times, but can you feel good as a Christian if it’s not someplace you know Jesus would approve of.  Then don’t go !  

Bedroom: Matthew 19:6  “Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”

Husbands remember a wife is a gift from God and women remember you are your husband’s helpmate, not boss. As a quilt is perfectly sewed together where each piece fits perfectly, husbands and wife’s should fit together perfectly. They should have respect for each other,  and lift up each other in prayer. Perfect and fit together for ever warm on a cold night and refreshed on a warm day.               Also- 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Closet: Philippians 4:7   “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

We need to give God the key to our heart as to every room even what you may not want to. No matter what sin or pain or hang up you have in your past, Jesus is ready to forgive, heal, and give you a new outlook. 

Now we can  Transfer the Title in our new residence.  2 Kings 20:1  “…. Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.”

Let Jesus manage the whole house. May Christ settle in your home and be completely comfortable as he is in your heart. May your marriage be strong, loving and never end. May God be pleased in your life together serving God with your whole heart and the same with your children. Kids need to be raised with instruction from God and carried out by 2 loving parents.

Joshua 24:15

“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”