Journeys in Faith

Helen McCormack

Description

God prepares valuable lessons in everyday experiences as we walk this journey of life pursuing obedience. Let’s keep our eyes open for them!

The journey of our lives begins at birth and ends as we step into eternity. Along this journey we walk through stages of life that are a mixture of trying and depleting or joyful and fulfilling. Understanding our sinfulness and accepting God’s forgiveness, shifts the focus of our journey to that of growing in faith and obedience.



To contact Helen please write to: [e-mail]



Comments from readers:



“I am honored that you asked me to edit your work! It contains insights and reminders that brought me joy. I’m sure many of these were written with tears, as well as smiles. They are inspiring, comforting and challenging.” Connie Stenson



I look forward to reading your second book because your first book uncovered powerful Christ-centered lessons from the ordinary events of life. That challenges me to grow. I’ve given away copies to encourage friends in challenging times. They appreciate your thoughts on life experiences, how you share your honest feelings and that scripture supports your lessons. Diane Selvig

Sujets

• Religion
• Christianisme
• Christian Living
• Personal Growth
• Philosophie et théologie

Informations

• Publié par: WestBow Press
• Date de parution: 30 juin 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9798385001071
• Langue: English

Extrait

JOURNEYS IN FAITH
 
PURSUING OBEDIENCE
 
 

 
 
HELEN MCCORMACK
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Copyright © 2023 Helen McCormack.
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
 
 
WestBow Press
A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403
www.westbowpress.com
844-714-3454
 
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
Scripture quotations marked ESV taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
 
Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from The New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
 
Scripture quotations marked RSV are taken from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
 
ISBN: 979-8-3850-0106-4 (sc)
ISBN: 979-8-3850-0107-1 (e)
 
Library of Congress Control Number: 2023911293
 
 
 
WestBow Press rev. date: 6/23/2023
CONTENTS
A Tribute and a Prayer Request
Mother’s Day: A Day to Embrace or Dread?
I Don’t Know Why We’re Part of This Church
A True Worshiper
Active Involvement Wherever We Live!
Are We Dehydrated?
Becoming a Thoughtful Student
Can Saying No, Be Loving?
Coping With Despair
Easter Perspectives
Elections, Black Friday, Death and Possessions
Finding Help When We Are Lost
How many times do I have to tell you…?
Is All That Hard Work Worth the Effort?
Keeping Our Eyes on The Goal
Lasting Building Materials
Learning to Give and Receive Forgiveness
Learning to Walk
Obedience Whether We Feel Like It or Not
Long Sermons
Of Elephants and Character
Our Christmas Want List
Our Past Heritage and Our Future Inheritance
Putting Feet to Our Faith
Rabbits or Crucifixion
Resolutions Can Begin Any Time
Speaking the Word of God Courageously
Taking the Position Seriously
The Apple of My Eye
The God of Creation and Cream of Tartar
The Goodness of God
The Inconvenience of Christmas
The Miracle of the Crayons
The Unexpected Lie
The Weaver
Undesirable Gifts
May I Have A Cookie??
What Do Eyes Tell Us?
What Kind of Freedom Do You Want?
What Should We Do With Our Pain?
When God Asks If We Trust Him
Where do you Find Your Refreshment?
Where Does My Help Come From?
Whose Money Is It?
Whose Prayer Should Be Answered
Why Missions? Part 1
Why Missions? Part 2
Will God Help Me Through My Troubles?
Would you like Fire and Brimstone with Your Pie?
Choosing a Final Destination
Planning and Taking the Trip of a Lifetime!
The First Year in Review
DEDICATION
This book is dedicated to the memory of my husband of nearly fifty-one years. He was a constant encourager during the years that we journeyed together. It is also dedicated to you, my readers, who have also supported me along my life journey. I thank you for the blessings you have shown me through the years.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I owe a huge debt of gratitude to the many friends who helped edit this work. Thank you, Bonnie Ler, Cathlynn Potts and Connie Stenson, for your careful oversight. Thank you Janese Lehman for editing as well and for your valuable publishing advice. Thank you, Jane Kelley for giving clarity to grammar challenges and taking time to investigate writing styles. All of the hours you dear ladies put into this project have blessed me.
A TRIBUTE AND A PRAYER REQUEST

Y ears ago, while driving south on Broadway in Minot, North Dakota, I glanced over at the Cancer Center and wondered what life was like for families who needed treatment. We learned the answer to that question when my husband was diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer in January 2020. Along that path, we experienced surgery, the hope that they “got it all” and the let down of finding that the cancer was still lurking in his body ready to rise again and again and again. More MRI’s, CT scans, surgery, and radiation followed by trips to the ER seeking pain control, trips to doctor’s offices, a ride in an ambulance after he passed out in a place of business and trips to other cities for specialized services. There were times of feeling better and times of feeling very, very weak and ill. Life as we knew it slowly came grinding to a halt.
Finally, on July 4, 2021, one week before our fifty-first anniversary, a bout of pneumonia ended his journey on this earth. His last written message was, “I must follow God. He is contentment. Let me go to God. I love you all!”
For years, one of his favorite scriptures was “For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain,” (Philippians 1:21 ESV). That was related to a life motto that we saw on a refrigerator magnet in the 1980’s that he used as part of his email signature; “Heaven is my home; earth is my business address.” According to God’s perfect plan, he has now completed his business on earth and is home.
We might be tempted to ask why he had to die at the comparatively young age of seventy-three. Many people around the globe prayed for healing because they valued him and what he could contribute to ministry in life as well as within Wycliffe Bible Translators. God chose to heal him, not while on this earth, but by taking him to heaven. From an earthly perspective, we might wonder if God was fair. However, God is the ultimate authority on fairness and He alone has the best plan.
David cared for me so well in physical, emotional, practical and spiritual ways. He spoiled me. But now, after all the preparation for the funeral, I feel the sorrow of the unoccupied chair and the emptiness of the other side of the bed. There is no doubt that I wonder why too, but thankfully, not with anger at God’s plans, but with a desire to find out what I’m to learn and do as I process this loss as well as how I might glorify God till my turn comes. In that I am drawn to a favorite verse of mine, “For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord…,” (Jeremiah 29:11 ESV). The Bible also says, “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be,” (Psalm 139:16 NIV). I want to faithfully follow God’s plans as they unfold before me, whether it is days, weeks, months or years.
I plan to continue to search the Bible and pray for direction on how to best use the time He gives. It is my desire to lean into God when times are sad and the road ahead seems overwhelming. I have every confidence that God is good and therefore His plans are good. Please pray that I might be faithful with the time and energy God gives me and that He might be honored in all that I do. I pray that we might all be prompted to open the gift of each day with eager anticipation asking what we can learn and how we might glorify God in that day.
MOTHER’S DAY: A DAY TO EMBRACE OR DREAD?

F or some, Mother’s Day is full of hugs, squeals, sticky kisses, half-cooked pancakes, homemade cards and childhood pampering.
There are some families who have grandchildren crawling out of the woodwork and houses filled with generations of love and happy interaction. Every room is bursting with imagination, conversation and love. These are days to embrace.
In contrast, there are others for which Mother’s Day is a day to dread because it feels dark, empty and hollow. There have never been children in their home and a day set aside to celebrate motherhood only renews the pain. They wait, as the halls echo with silence, for the day to be over.
There is third kind of home where the family gathers, yet there is a pronounced separation between the participants. Arguing, tension and coldness permeate the day. Grandchildren cry and fight as they absorb the tension the adults are exhibiting. Every room becomes a fortress of little groups gossiping about others in the family. The day can’t end soon enough.
A fourth kind of family might be separated by many, many miles. There is the loneliness of not seeing one another. Thankfully, a phone call can add brightness to the day.
Finally, for some, the day is full of dreams of what might have been if children had not run away from home and if relationships had not been broken. Some may not even know exactly where some of their children are because children never make contact to say the coveted, “Happy Mother’s Day, Mom,” and the fanfare is just another gruesome reminder of the loss the family feels.
There are many