The Rose

Today I heard an old Bette Midler Song

Called "The Rose"

Check it Out:

The song is obviously about those who have been hurt by love

 and fear to try to love again.

This song encourages those who hide from love 

to nurture their love and allow it to grow.

However, by changing one word,

 this song took on a whole new meaning for me.

In the last few lines of the song, if you change "Sun" to "Son"

it transforms the song 

to one one the human condition when we do not have God in our lives.

Without God,

Our soul bleeds and hungers for a true love,

Without God,

We feel  unloved and alone 

and  we are afraid to take a chance.

Without God

we are afraid of being alone on the rocky road of life,

we are afraid of dying,  unwanted, unloved.

But if we just remember,

that no matter how alone we are

in the cold bitter snow of life, 

 if we accept the Son's love

we will blossom 

into a 

beautiful 

rose.

Kayla Mueller---A Profile in Strength and Courage through Christ

Kayla Mueller was 25 years old when she was captured by ISIS in 2013.

Kayla was an Aid Worker, helping Syrian refugees.

She was held with several other young girls: 

most were Yazidi captives.

In 2014 some young girls escaped

and they spoke of the bravery of Kayla.

These girls, including Kayla,had been given as reward 

to ISIS fighters for their victories.   

In the 2 months the escapees spent with Kayla, 

they reported they she tried to protect them from abuse,

 often putting herself in greater danger by doing so.

The other captive girls came to care for Kayla as a mother figure.

When these girls escaped,

Kayla could have easily went with them to safety,

but she refused to go.  

Kayla feared that her foreign appearance

 would endanger the girls' escape.

Kayla Mueller died in 2015 

in an American airstrike against ISIS

Prior to her death, she did write a letter to her family

that the escapees were able to smuggle out for her.

In this letter it is clear that God gave her strength and courage 

to endure the suffering and torture.

...  I remember mom always telling me that all in all in the end the only one you really have is God. I have come to a place in experience where, in every sense of the word, I have surrendered myself to our creator b/c literally there was no else….+ by God + by your prayers I have felt tenderly cradled in freefall.

I have been shown in darkness, light + have learned that even in prison, one can be free. I am grateful.

I have come to see that there is good in every situation, sometimes we just have to look for it. I pray each each day that if nothing else, you have felt a certain closeness + surrender to God as well + have formed a bond of love + support amongst one another…

It is hard to understand how God could allow such suffering,

Especially for one with such faith.

But that is an outsiders view.

God put a calling on her heart to be in that place at that time

She did tremendous good in those 1.5 years,

to an extent we will never know.

I just recently finished a book called:

The Centurion’s Wife

By: Davis Bunn and Janette Oke

Leah is the niece of Pontius Pilate given into servitude

 to Pilate’s wife, Procula.

It is the week after the crucifixion 

of a radial rebel leader, 

Jesus of Nazareth.

 Procula is haunted by nightmares and migraines, 

fearing an innocent man have been put to death. 

  And she is increasingly suspicious that this man 

may have been much more than a man.  

She orders Leah to infiltrate the followers of this rebel

 to learn if the rumors are true,

 that this man, who was dead, 

now lives.

Alban, the centurion, is an ambitious man,

 hoping to obtain Leah’s betrothal to elevate his own status.  

He has never met her, but knowing she is Pilate’s niece, 

his marriage to her would give him rise in stature

 in the eyes of Rome.   

The centurion is favored among the Jews as a God Fearer. 

He has been righteous in many of his deeds

 and respectful of their religion.  

When Alban approached Jesus the Healer

 in hopes to have his beloved servant healed, 

Jesus proclaimed to all that Alban had great faith.

Pilate is troubled by the rumors that the rebel, 

Jesus may somehow still be alive 

and a threat to Rome 

and his own position of power.   

He needs someone to infiltrate the followers of Jesus to find out.  

That is the condition he lays upon Alban

 in order to be allowed to wed Leah.

Leah does not want to be given in marriage.  

She has seen her sisters enslaved and degraded

 in loveless marriages

 and would prefer to stay a maid servant to Procula.  

But she has no power and the decision has been made for her.

Separately, and without knowledge of each other, 

Leah and Alban enter the hidden world 

of the followers of Christ 

and their lives are turned upside down

This is a beautifully told love story

 as well as a story of how Jesus can change your life.

Equipping Godly Women

I just discovered this blog:   Equipping Godly Women  that has some wonderful posts that are not just for women.  It is for everyone.   Has tips on parenting, marriage, and our relationship with God that are scripture based.  Check them out!