It's Still a Wonderful Life (No, Really)

‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.’   ...  Jeremiah 7:23


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So I'm sitting here in my pretty aqua summer nightgown, my wet hair dripping after a shower and with no make-up. (Feel free to fervently thank God you can't see me.)  😉 

You (I) can't get any more comfortable than this and how good of Him to, through people, invent this Internet so I, we, can fling encouragement over zillions of miles.

Most times when I encourage folks, especially via writing, there's an ease, an unexplainable 'boost' which--when I'm just being oh-hum-me--is missing. Those ol' regular hours I'm quite vanilla and do not speak as I do in this blog (just ask those who best know me).

But I hope you've experienced for yourself the other-- that godly ease, that boost. Gee, it makes serving God, easier, and how good of Him to provide that grace, that anointing.

Yet sometimes, like last night! God purposely tweaks things, nudges us right out of our awfully-pleasant Comfort Zones--and down the road.

See, around 5:00 pm (in heat, humidity), we drove (through New York state thruways where, nervously, I grip the door's arm rest) to that (loud) restaurant where Naomi and Justin play (and I must scream in Tom's ear and strain hard, lip-read even, so to listen to folks beside me).

If you've read here long, you know that home is where ol' Debra's heart prefers to be. 

But oh, the afterward time! After I got there and saw how happy it made Naomi and Justin, after I heard their wonderful music with their violinist friend this time, after I (at God's nudging)encouraged, individually, 3 of Naomi's friends and after the more peaceful route home via our former old-timey town with 25 years of memories I'd never trade?

Oh, afterward comes Joy. 

Yes, that joy unspeakable and only known after obedience and helping and being kind. And after letting God use you, even if, first, you had to march through what you feared and didn't prefer in order to reach what you love--

--that which you are called to do during your short time here. With godly ease to help you.

It's still a wonderful life--with God--you know. Even these days with trouble all around. Even so.


" But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit [the spiritual illumination and the enabling of the Holy Spirit] for the common good."  ... 1 Corinthians 12:7 


"Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them...  if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching ... the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness."   ... Romans 12:6-8

             (A special thanks to Danielle R. for the photo from last night.)


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Wow. There I was at our dining room table reading a new-to-me Janet Lambert book and this passage, below, stopped my breath. 

(To a young actor, Christy said), 

"I guess you like acting... I suppose it's fun if you know how."

(To which he replied --)

"It's wonderful. It's like flying or fighting dragons or running up a high hill or riding on a roller coaster."



Yippee! That's it. 

For decades, often, I've felt similarly--

--when I've sensed that God used me
--gave me words I'd never have thought of, myself,
--and nudged me out of 'that boat'
--to walk out on that scary water
--to encourage all those people
--when my natural inclination was to, instead, just hide.

But oh, Just Hiders and the Just Fearful leave this Earth unfinished, unfulfilled, unhappy: 


The bakers, sew-ers or singers who did not bake, sew or sing!
The repairers, helpers, designers who did not repair, help or design!
The painters, writers, teachers who did not paint, write or teach!


These (and many others) end their days in a sad discomfort--and who wants that?

Choose more, my friends. Step out of the boat and always, always choose more.

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