His Command - Be Strong

           I wrote this in the fall of 2012, after visiting with Janice Funkhouser Goad following the funeral service for Marian Gayle Rice Stoneman. My family was just beginning our journey of caring for Dad following his first stroke. Janice shared the following account with me that day.
            This past week when driving to pick up cattle feed, I heard a teaching about Joshua 1:9 from one of the only radio stations that I get in the feed truck. The teacher reminded  the need to meditate frequently on God’s command to be strong and courageous. We must be strong and courageous in not only reading and meditating but also obeying God’s Word. Then He gives me His strength to complete His will for me even when it seems almost an impossibility.
           Janice's story below and the Bible verse came to mind. Coupled with the Bible teaching on the same verse, I found my spirit renewed and ready to do whatever He wanted me to do.

Discouragement, frustration, and a feeling of frazzled emotions consumed Janice at that moment.  Recently she had given her life to Jesus, confessing and repenting of her sins, and receiving His wonderful forgiveness. In that way, she began her walk with the Lord.

         Disheartened, aggravated, overwhelmed were words that were describing her life that particular day. Their teenage son’s rebellious attitude was perturbing her. Their two daughters just a few years younger than him were focused on their own needs and self-serving wishes leaving Janice upset at them for not doing their part to make her day a little better. The care for their precious baby daughter was overwhelming as she dealt with these family issues by herself since her husband was calf roping until midnight each evening.
         An internal invitation to engage in a self-pity party arrived at her heart's door that day. After all, anyone would agree with her. Nothing was working in her favor and no one was trying to help.

         Realizing she needed a walk, Janice shoved open the back door angrily. Her feet pounded down a path on their rural property. She knew very little about being a Christian, but she had certainly thought it would be much easier than this.

         Suddenly, as she walked, she sensed God saying to her, Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

         This was one of the verses she was memorizing. Even as a young believer, she knew she should get God’s word in her heart and mind. She was trying to memorize as many verses as she could. The Lord brought Joshua 1:9 to the forefront of her mind.

         At that point, Janice sensed the Lord emphasizing these words in her heart – Have I not commanded thee? Be strong… He was telling her that it was His command, not a suggestion, not a recommendation but a command, a non-negotiable imperative. He was demanding that she be strong. She couldn’t crumple and collapse at these difficulties in her family. God commanded her to be strong and courageous. He didn’t want the fearful thoughts to dominate her time, leading to debilitating discouragement. He promised to be with her no matter where her life journey would lead.

          Janice later reflected on how impacted she felt by the unbelievable power from God's Word. Recalling and applying the verse in Joshua pulled her from despondency and depression that had been initiated by her self-pity. That day marked the first time she experienced the power of God's Word intervening in her life. The joy and peace that God's Word brought to her that day would be repeated over and over in her life as she fought self-destructive thoughts with memorized scriptures.

          Little did she know before their only son reached his fortieth birthday, she and her husband would stand by his grave on snow-covered ground with heavy hearts and arms around their three daughters attempting to draw strength and comfort from each other. Their family and friends reached out with sympathetic words and deeds, but only God brought peace and comfort to their minds and hearts.

          One day their youngest daughter, a bride of four years planning with her husband to begin a family, stopped by to visit. Janice was so moved at that moment by how pretty her daughter was and told her just how beautiful she was. Never would she fathom that they would soon be notified of her fatal car accident.* Nothing prepared her and her husband to stand next to her casket and see that youthful face as though she was only sleeping. Amidst Janice’s heart-wrenching grief she could hear the Lord whisper, “As I promised, I am with you. Don’t be afraid because I will be with you wherever you go.”

Sam Goad and Janice Funkhouser, chosen as the "cutest couple" for the RHS
Tiger, the yearbook published in 1965. One day during Dad's stroke convalescence,
I met Sam while in town. His words about some of his trying experiences and
how God led him through them provided much needed encouragement to me
on that very day.

        Frequently people tell we followers of Jesus how strong we are. If we appear strong it is because we know God has been and will continue to be with us. We know no matter where the path of our lives leads us, God is with us. We can be strong, courageous, casting our fear onto our heavenly Father because He is walking right beside us assuring us as we go.

                Father, as we face the unknown and heal from the grief of the past, may we obey Your command to be strong and courageous, walking in the power of Your presence forever with us, wherever You may lead us. Thank You that we can rest assuredly on the truth that You will be with us, giving us strength as we rely on the promises from Your Word.

*A blog tribute on the third anniversary of Summer Goad Novotny's death can be accessed at: bernadeanjgates.blogspot.com/2015/09/remembering-summer-jalyn-goad-novotny.html

     

 

Remembering Jon Ogle

         
      This week upon hearing of Brother Jon's passing several thoughts filled my mind. He loved the Lord with all his heart. He took every opportunity to share the gospel even having a monthly prison ministry at Connors Correction Center. 

Brother Jon enjoying the 125th Anniversary of the church

      He loved the people of his church body. Brother Jon connected with each person by fixing his eyes on them as though they were the only person within his sphere of sight at the time that person was speaking to him. This was apparent following Grandma Gladys Smith's dibiliatating stroke which took her speech. Brother Jon regularly came to visit her bedside and pray with her, to our astonishment she spoke briefly each time. She loved him because he preached God Word as though it might be last opportunity for someone to respond to Jesus. Brother Jon shared her intense desire to see everyone come to a life-altering relationship with Jesus.

      Brother Jon's eyes spoke volumes conveying intensity in the pulpit about life and death decisions. His eyes sparkled at a good happening in one of his parishioner's life. They could "turn on a dime" as to what they conveyed. I was told once at Falls Creek, he was confronted by the alarmed female campers and counselors concerning a large rodent spotted. His eyes conveyed a nonchalantness when he measured on one hand with his forefinger and thumb as he said, "It was only this big..." and as his eyes took on a mischievous look concluded, "between the eyes!"

     His quick wit and desire to interject humor as much as possible were often near the surface of his interactions with fellow church members and community residents alike. This characteristic gave Brother Jon an inroad with almost anyone because he easily made most people feel comfortable, as someone said, "whether saint or sinner."

    Frequently, as believers we quote Paul's words from Philippians 1:21 when he declared "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Yet I am impacted by Eugene Peterson's paraphrase called The Message he wrote for the young believers in his congregation. Here is his restatement of this powerful verse: Alive, I'm Christ's messenger; dead, I'm His prize. Life versus even more life! I can't lose. 

    As we grieve Brother Jon Ogle's death may we determine by the power of the Holy Spirit within us to carry on his life work of being a messenger of Jesus telling all who have ears to hear what He can do in any life yielded completely to Him. May we find comfort that Brother Jon is more alive than he has ever been and is rejoicing in the presence of the One he loved and served faithfully while here on earth.

Other Blog Posts About Brother Jon Ogle:

https://bernadeanjgates.blogspot.com/2019/02/the-coyote-and-rabbit.html

https://bernadeanjgates.blogspot.com/2020/04/he-had-only-one-topic.html

https://bernadeanjgates.blogspot.com/2022/11/down-memory-lane.html      

Trials, Neighbors, and a Little Lantern

                 Jesus promised in His quote from John 16:33, In the world, you will have tribulation (trouble)…and James, the half-brother of Jesus even wrote in his letter, Count it all joy when you fall into various trials. These principles I have in my mind and heart but this events of this past Thursday, I must admit jolted me a bit. After getting one of the three bales out in preparation for the possible inclement weather, the red battery warning light suddenly glared back at me in the cab of Mother’s Ford F-350.

                Thankfully, I quickly called Joe, one of my favorite and most trusted mechanics. Joe stood out in my mind as an elementary student whose inquisitive mind spurred him to learn as much as he could about so many topics. He diagnosed the possible culprit triggering the warning light as a malfunctioning diode of the alternator.

                Praying, Well, God, You are requiring me to rely on friends who have offered to help Mother and me at anytime, so I called my dear friend and neighbor, Vonda Goad, explained the dilemma of the warning light and needing to feed Mother’s little herd. She assured me Greg, her husband, would be glad to help. When Greg arrived, he suggested, “Let’s just get it over to Fairfax.” Once we got the pickup to Joe’s shop in Fairfax, Greg came back and put out the last two bales plus fed the cattle.

Mother and Vonda, both of them shared "Smith" 
as their maiden name.

                On Friday, Vonda willingly ran errands for me and told me to let her know whenever the pickup was ready to be picked up. Joe texted late in the day to notify Mother’s F-350 no longer had the red battery warning light on, had a new alternator, plenty of transmission fluid, and was ready to be picked up. As I notified Vonda, I heard Greg in the background, “Tell him we’ll be there in 20 minutes.”

                Vonda drove Mother’s feed truck home with Greg following her. As I walked to open the gate so she could drive the repaired truck into the driveway, my little LED lantern illuminated my way.

                              After I thanked Vonda and Greg and parked the pickup, I thought more about the little LED lantern (shown at left) while walking back to the house. A well-known verse from Psalm 119:105 came to mind. Its words ran through my mind, Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

                The lamp mentioned in the longest psalm in the Bible reminded me of the little LED lantern. It lit the ground right where my feet walked. How often on Thursday and Friday did I just see God’s leading to make the next decision.

                I also had a small flashlight in my pocket when I went to open the gate for Vonda. Had I wanted the driveway lit as I approached the gate, I could have whipped out the flashlight and seen a bit farther just as the psalmist wrote the word of God lights the reader’s path.

                Reflecting on the two days of this past week, I am reminded our trials are allowed to cause us to rely foremost on the Lord and His plan. So many times, I have learned to accept the help of others. I tried not to stew and fret over getting things done before the frigid weather blew in. As my sister pointed out to me on Saturday, “You got everything done.”

                Just as God led me throughout the week, so He will lead us daily, moment by moment, to fulfill His plan for us. I pray daily for wisdom to follow His lamp and His light as I read God’s Word and seek to obey each day.