Jesus | Blessed to be Broken

The Want of More

by Trish Cordell

Scrolling through the radio stations I stopped when I saw Pat Benetar’s name pop up. Love me some Pat Benetar. It took a minute for me to recognize the song, “All Fired Up,” but as the song played on, bits and pieces came to mind and next thing I knew I was jammin’ in my car alongside a rock star.

Back in the 80s I never really cared for the meaning behind song lyrics. If it had a good beat, and I could dance to it, I dubbed it good. Singing along was a bonus. The chorus of this song caught my attention.

“I believe there comes a time when everything just falls in line, we live and learn from our mistakes, our deepest cuts are human made.”

As I sang and bopped my head along in unison to the beat, I couldn’t help but think of Adam and Eve. Isn’t that where it all started to fall apart? The garden of Eden. Everything was perfect. And yet, the want of more, and then acting upon that want, ruined it. For everyone! Generation after generation suffer from the effects of more.

“We live and learn from our mistakes”. Do we? Has the want of more gone by the wayside? Are we content with what we have? Do we still covet our neighbor’s stuff? Do we still idolize money and power? Do we place things above people?

Look around, do you have a plethora of something and yet, you still want more? I can say I have an astonshing amount of crafting items, but, everyday something new and shiny seems to come out on the market, and I must have it. Do I need it? No. No, I don’t.

“We live and learn from our mistakes”. If we truly lived and learned from our mistakes, would “the deepest cuts” still be “human made”? I’d like to think that as we grow older, we grow wiser. But it seems as one generation starts to “get it,” the upcoming generation is seemingly following in the same footsteps, and we just keep the circle of sin going.

People are still trying to climb over one another to get the promotion. People are still pushing the sexual envelope. Things that were once hidden are shoved into eyes that have no business seeing perverse and immoral sexual acts and violence.

I can’t seem to find a tv show that doesn’t shove sex, adultery, murder, excessive violence, alcoholism, drug use, and cussing as the norm. Over the years, it’s only gotten worse. And this is entertainment? We’re literally teaching people how to sin, better. Awesome.

I guess these days you could call me a prude. I’m okay with that. I don’t need to see people grinding away on my tv screen. What’s being promoted here? Do you ever stop and ask yourself that question? Of course I can turn the tv off, but does ignoring the televised acceptance of soft porn make it go away? No, it doesn’t.

Maybe you’ve heard the saying, “if you give someone an inch, they’ll take a mile.” The same applies to the enemy. We’re instructed not to give him a foothold. Yet, daily we give him miles and miles to do his fiendish work.

Do you know who pays the biggest price for the things we do? Our kids. We’ve become so self-obsessed that our kids are being raised by influencers instead of parents. People who want to look good on-screen for people they don’t even know. Yet, their own kids are standing right in front of them begging to be seen. My heart is broken.

The other day my 6-year old grand daughter was approached by another child in her class. He wanted her to play “let’s make babies” and have her lie beside him. What? Are you kidding me? Where does another child learn this type of behavior? My heart is broken.

As I type this out, all I want to do is backspace the entirety of this message for fear of retaliation. But, I think that’s the problem. We’ve succumbed, we’ve settled, and we’ve stopped fighting for what’s right, because it got too hard. “It is what it is,” has become our legacied mantra. We’ve been lulled to sleep by sin. My heart is broken.

Now more than ever sleepy Christian’s need to wake up and not only talk about the love of Jesus, which is amazing and wonderful but the heartbreak of sin cannot be ignored. It needs to be called out. Not shoved under a rock. Our kids are suffering for our lack of conviction. And if your heart isn’t broken, then I have to ask why not?

This was not how I envisioned this message going. I had something totally different in mind. But this isn’t my blog. It belongs to the Lord. What I type here I give over to Christ. I’m done worrying about what you all may think of what’s on my heart to say. My grand child’s future is at stake and I’m going to do everything I can to stand up for what’s biblically right and sound, not what’s immorally accepted as today’s norm.

6-year olds talking about making babies by lying down with one another is unacceptable. No, I’m not over reacting, you’re under reacting. Because if this doesn’t cut to your core, then I have to ask, why not? Ignorance is not bliss. It’s ignorance.

The funny thing is, this behavior is not new. Don’t take my word for it:

“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.” ~ 2 Timothy 3:1-7

We’re warned. And instead of backing away from it, we’re embracing it. What do we do? How do we stop the downward trajectory of mankind? We repent. We change our ways and turn back to God. It sounds simple, right? Yet, instead of running to Him, we run from Him. And that my friends, breaks His heart.

Ever since Adam and Eve committed the sin of more, God put a plan in place to right the relationship that was broken. He sent Jesus to overcome sin and death. He’s ALWAYS making a way. Do you see it? Again, don’t take my word for it.

“Look! I’m doing a new thing; now it sprouts up; don’t you recognize it? I’m making a way in the desert, paths in the wilderness.” ~ Isaiah 43:19 (CEB)

Jesus’s death on the cross made the way for us to have a personal relationship with God. He has specific plans for each of us to bring Him glory here on earth. We have a choice. I’m just so thankful God’s not limited to our small mindedness. I’m even more thankful that His love is greater than our sin.

Friends, It’s never too late to run to Christ. Just ask the thief hanging on the cross next to Jesus. (Luke 23:40-43) Now that’s the kind of more we all gain from. More of Christ, more like Him. That’s where the real power is and always will be.

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Moral High Ground

by Trish Cordell

I watched a tv show. To summarize, over time, one woman had done some pretty sketchy things but justified her behavior by saying her actions were what was best for her employer. She was “protecting” them. Another woman, who worked for this same employer, also over time had done some deplorable things per the one who’d done the sketchy things. At some point the woman who’d done the sketchy things, determined the woman who’d done the deplorable things needed to suffer the consequences of her actions.

Now, the woman who’d done the sketchy things, had been forgiven of her transgressions by her employer. You’d think that woulda made her more compassionate towards the woman who’d done the deplorable things. It didn’t. It seemed to make her more determined to see her “enemy” suffer the consequences she felt she deserved. Did she confront the woman she took issue with? No. Instead, these two skeptically watched each other wondering what the other was doing, all the while, doing sketchy and deplorable things.

The time came and the one who’d seemingly done the deplorable things got arrested. As she was being escorted out of the building by police, she saw the one who’d done the sketchy things and confronted her. She threw her sketchiness in her face by reminding her of all she’d done. The woman retaliated with how much of a monster she was. The woman in cuffs said, she knew what she was, but then asked very simply to the other woman, “Do you”?

The look on her face said it all. Next scene, we find the woman who’d done the sketchy things sobbing in her car. Whatever happens next is anyone’s guess, that was pretty much the last scene of that show. But, it would seem the moral high ground she stood on was obliterated when her own sins were thrown in her face. In that moment, maybe she realized she could’ve just as easily been the one being led out in handcuffs.

Compassion isn’t easy. It’s very often something I have to ask God for; to give me eyes to see something or someone through His lens of grace. And if I’m being honest, I don’t always want to see through His lens. My own moral high ground can be miles high.

Admittedly, I’ve done some sketchy and deplorable things. But, that doesn’t always make me more compassionate towards those who have done similar sketchy or deplorable things. I justify my lack of compassion by saying, a choice is a choice, and consequences will follow. Has God forgiven me, yes. Have I forgiven myself? Yes, no, maybe? Ask me later, I’m working on it.

In Matthew 18:21-25, Jesus told this parable of the unforgiving debtor:

“Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven! “Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt. “But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt. “But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment. “His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded. But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full. “When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened. Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt. “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.””

If the unforgiving debtor answered the king’s question what would have been his defense in retaliating the way he did by throwing his own servant into prison after being forgiven of his own debt?

My guess is that he was angry and embarrassed over the fact he had shown mercy to his servant prior to being put into the precarious position of having to beg for his and his family’s freedom. Why else did his servant owe him? While he didn’t forgive the debt, he allowed his servant to fall behind in payment. This caused a ripple effect on him to fall behind in his own payments. Am I right? Hard to say.

Anger and embarrassment make poor excuses as justification for bad behavior. The unforgiving debtor had his millions of debt totally forgiven. Why wasn’t he dancing in the streets and singing with joy? Maybe he was more tied to his debt than to his new found freedom. Maybe he wanted to ensure he would never be put into that type situation again? We’re not given his answer.

I believe it’s because whatever unforgiveness we harbor in our hearts is personal and complicated and why we need Jesus to be the mediator. He’s the only one who totally understands and freely forgives when we confess, and repent. His compassion has no bounds. He doesn’t hold back His grace. He loves to see His children walk freely in the gifts He so generously gives.

When I said compassion doesn’t always come easy, could it be I have yet to fully receive the total forgiveness of my Savior? Am I more tied to my sins than my redemption? Am I walking in freedom? I dare say, not yet. Is that reason to heap more judgement on myself or others? No. Is it an excuse to partner with animosity? No.

Instead, it’s an opportunity to invite God into my mess and allow Him to show me the way forward. Expecting any part of that journey to be perfect or free of sin is just heaping condemnation upon myself. Ick!! I’ll say that again, ick!!

Maybe now you can understand a bit better why the unforgiving debtor wasn’t dancing in the streets or singing for joy. Maybe just maybe, he didn’t know or fully grasp what being fully forgiving looks like. Maybe his own self condemnation was so strong the gift he was given was left partially wrapped with the answer he could never fully comprehend. Your debt is completely forgiven and has been paid in full.

The answer is simple, acceptance. It’s a daily exchange with God to accept and receive His love. I can so overcomplicate it. Maybe you do as well. Thankfully, it’s a process, a journey, and not a one and done. It’s easy to make the mistake of thinking God is through with you, when you’ve given up on yourself. But, that’s just now the way He operates.

So, if you find yourself in a place of unforgiveness know you’re not alone. It doesn’t mean we remain in this place, it means we persevere with faith and trust that God will work ALL things out. The good, the bad, and the unlovely. And if you think you’re better than someone else, my friend, it’s time to step off that moral high ground and remember we’re all human, we ALL fall short of the glory of God. Yet, He loves us anyways. And that’s something good we can all wrap our hearts around.

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Moral High Ground

by Trish Cordell

In Matthew 18:21-25, Jesus told this parable of the unforgiving debtor:

If the unforgiving debtor answered the king’s question what would have been his defense in retaliating the way he did by throwing his own servant into prison after being forgiven of his own debt?

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Check Your Thoughts

by Trish Cordell

My baby brother has been heavily on my mind the past few days. I miss his voice. I miss his laugh. I miss his hugs. I hold onto these precious memories in my heart, and I smile. He thought of himself as quite the jokester. He loved to make others laugh.

Those people, the ones that love to make others laugh, watch over them. Typically, they carry a deep amount of pain and suffering. They know what it’s like to hit the bottom and keep clawing their way up to the top; even if it’s only to take one deep gulping breath before going under, once again.

My brother had been told the majority of his life he was overweight. It’s not like he didn’t know. It’s not like he needed someone to remind him of that fact. He knew. Was he helpless to do anything about it? Only he knows. Did he want to do something about it? I daresay, yes. Yes, he did.

I say this because during one of our conversations, his pain filled voice tore at my heart as he told me that he knew he needed to walk. But it hurt to walk because his knees were shot. He said he knew he needed to keep going. He struggled to get the next words out as he slowly repeated, “I need to keep walking.” The tone of his voice was a strained, tear-filled, guttural whisper.

I asked how I could help. I desperately wanted to help. I didn’t know how to help, but I was willing to do whatever it took. Unfortunately, wanting to help those who don’t want help is next to impossible. Especially when you don’t know how to accept help.

Was it pride? I don’t think so. We learned from a very early age that in order to survive we had only ourselves to rely on. Kinda sucks as a child, the people you were dependent on were too wrapped up in their own survival skills brought on by their addictions to be of any real help.

We may be in charge of our own inner healing, but it can be tough trying to figure out where to start. Especially when there’s a searing, all consuming pain that if we’re honest, we know deep in our core nothing of this earth can ever heal.

Instead of beginning the healing process you grab the nearest thing that makes you feel oblivious to the pain consuming your heart and mind. I get it. I did it too. Truth be told, alcohol didn’t make anything better. It made everything worse. So much worse.

My brother never got the chance to see what it would be like to live without being under the influence of alcohol. His body, worn out from the ill-effects of its evil clutches, finally waved the white flag of surrender. They say he went peacefully in his sleep. God only knows if that’s true, but it’s my heart cry that it’s so.

How do we keep missing the mark? How do we keep seeing people for who they are on the outside without seeing their heart? How do we stop being so judgemental of others and ourselves? Why is it so much harder to be kind to those who we deem “different” from ourselves?

How do we continue to live in a country that wants their people sick so someone can get rich off our illness? How do we stop taking our pain out on others through heinous acts of violence? How do we stop the hate? How do we stop the greed? How do we stop the excess of everything?

So many questions with few answers and even less action being taken to do something about it, at least that I can see. Is it any wonder with so many questions and few answers, we grab onto what we think will give us comfort. Please understand when I say “we”, I also mean, me.

I saw someone recently post that thoughts and prayers aren’t working. That thoughts and prayers aren’t enough. I’m going to say very simply then you don’t know the One to whom you’re praying. Because if you did, you know that praying is more than asking. I’m going to try and break this down.

Thoughts aren’t working. First off, what are your thoughts? Because your thoughts matter. Our mind is our biggest battlefield. Our thoughts are constantly being invaded by ALL the things around us.

ALL the things we watch, ALL the things we see, ALL the things we allow into our beings. ALL the things we believe. Do you hate someone or something? That drives your thoughts. Do you love someone or something? That drives your thoughts. I think you get the picture here.

Indeed, our thoughts may be the enemy and not helping. No where in the Bible does it say our thoughts are the answer. Let’s face it, on any given day, our thoughts can be downright awful. Especially about ourselves. So, yeah, maybe thoughts, and vibes aren’t working to make radical change happen. Yeah, that was definitely sarcasm.

Prayer on the other hand is another issue entirely. You know what happens when you pray? It changes you. It changes your thoughts. It takes your eyes off yourself and puts things back into God’s hands.

But if you don’t know God, if you don’t have a relationship with Him, then, guess what? Your thoughts are left to their own detrimental playground. I may know a thing or two bazillion about that.

Prayer isn’t complicated. It’s simply having a conversion with the Creator of ALL things, heaven and earth. It can be a short conversation, “Lord, help me,” or a long drawn out pleading of your heart. Totally up to you. But, did you know that we’re to pray continually? That’s right. Continually.

Prayer, abiding in, and seeking God, changes you, from the inside out. So, I have to wholeheartedly disagree that prayers aren’t working. However, they may not be working the way you want them to work. Ouch. Yeah, I know that stings.

We’re not God. Not for our lack of trying. We don’t know the bigger picture or purpose. We for sure don’t have all the answers. So, if prayer or the outcome of prayer isn’t working your way, maybe, just maybe, you should check your thoughts.

Friend, we have a mighty God who knows exactly what to do in ALL circumstances. If you’ve not prayed in a while and don’t know where to begin, that’s ok. Jesus taught us how to pray.

“This, then, is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” ~ Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV)

And all God’s people said…AMEN!

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The Way Out

by Trish Cordell

I dreamt about you last night. You hadn’t changed a bit. It was as if time stood still for you. I woke from the dream and so many emotions hit me at once. I couldn’t fall asleep fast enough to make those feelings disappear.

In the dream I was hanging out with my friend. You came busting into my room just like you used to when I was growing up. You weren’t a tall man, but you had some girth. I’ll never know this side of heaven what happened in your life to you to make you so mean. But, you were good at it.

When you finished with your tirade of terror you simply left. My friend and I looked at each other in disbelief. She was visibly shaken. I said, typical, and off we went about our day.

You started terrorizing my friend and I with your abusive words. You shouted at us as if there was a busy intersection standing between us and you needed to be heard above the noise. Except, the room was quiet. My friend and I were frozen in fear. We made not a peep. We both knew better than to argue with a drunk. Your word spattering caused spittle to hit our faces. There was no more room left to back up into.

The next day you came back. Only this time, I was ready for you. I stopped you in your tracks. Seething inside, I got as close to you as I could. My face twisted in a mix of hurt and anger. I dug deep to get my courage up and I spoke with tears in the back of my throat, and false bravado on the tip of my tongue. There was no way you were gonna visibly see my pain.

I carefully chose my words, and told you, no more. You were not welcome here and to take your venomous hide and get out and don’t ever come back. For surely if you did, you’d find yourself behind bars where you belonged. Instantly, iron bars popped up between us and we glared at one another through the spacing. You turned and left the room. But, the bars remained. A noise from outside jarred me awake.

Funny thing about the iron bars in that dream. Until the offender left the room, I couldn’t tell who was behind them, until they left. That’s the thing about unforgiveness. The other person goes about their business and you’re left standing behind the bars. A prison of sorts that keeps you from fully living life.

The person in my dream, was my dad. He passed away years ago, yet the remnants of his unsolicited bouts of drunken rage, still creep in. It’s a stark reminder that some inner healing is still needed. I don’t think you can put a time limit on healing. I think it’s a slippery slope when we falsely believe that whatever the thing is that hurt you, should only take so much time.

I’ve heard if you’ve been in a relationship, and you break up, the amount of time to heal, is half the amount of time you were together. I’m not sure who said that first.

I can tell you, years ago I forgave my earthly Father. I remember crying for the person who I believed to have been so hurt, the hurt turned into rage. I cried for my family who suffered at the hands of that hurt. But, every so often, something crops up and I realize I need to forgive that piece.

That’s the thing isn’t it? The pain and hurt didn’t occur all at once. So why would we be inclined to think the remaining broken bits and pieces get put back together all at once?

No, it’s a journey. It’s not a marathon. It’s like those growing pains we experienced as our bodies grew. But, I can report that as I type this, I’m not crying. Im not holding back any tears. My insides don’t feel all twisted up inside and I have peace. I actually have joy. Despite the realism of the dream, my soul is at rest. That’s a huge win! H.U.G.E

The thing is, I had to work through ALL those painful things. Stuffing them down, glossing over them, and hiding behind humor, only delayed my healing. Facing them head on and getting them out of my system was the only way out of my destructive patterns.

I love when the Word of God finally clicks. Sometimes I read things in the Bible, and I’m like, what the?? But, since I know God’s Word doesn’t return void, is living and active, and will do what it sets out to do, and God is always working, I don’t dwell on what I don’t know…yet.

This morning, I finally got it. It’s not to say I didn’t comprehend what the apostle Paul wrote here, and each time I read it, but now I’ve experienced it. Hebrews 12: 1-3 says:

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

I firmly believe the race marked out for me in this season of my life is healing. To stop the madness of performing for love and acceptance and constantly doing more to prove my worth. To calm my inner self and shut my brain down from flight or fight mode, with Jesus at the helm.

To say this has been hard, is an understatement. It was learning to say no, and be ok with it. To say no, and not worry about how it affected others. But, also understanding that saying yes in certain instances would’ve been more damaging to my soul. Understanding it’s ok to put me first was not going to break the world, and others would survive. Because, let’s face it, I’m not the one holding any one up.

There’s really only one way out of that unforgiveness prison. You can try to shortcut the way around, but you’ll be missing pieces of the journey. Eventually the pieces you try to avoid will come back round. So, my advice, persevere and work through it all. Every last piece. However long it takes.

Your healing is in your hands. No one else is in charge of it. No one else is responsible for it. However long it takes is your testimony. God won’t quit, so don’t you quit. Why? Because you’re life was bought at a price. Jesus persevered through death so you could live! And He promises that He’ll continue to do the good work He started in you. (Philippians 1:6)

He’ll finish what He started. Hang in there friend, there’s so much light at the end of the tunnel.

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Dangle or Jump All In

by Trish Cordell

I wrote the words below as a Facebook post in May of 2020, after a memory of my son popped up. He was a security guard on the Air National Guard base where I worked. For some odd reason, I had the post in my email and when I searched for something, this came up. Title and all. Which was weird because none of the words I searched matched this email. So, since I don’t believe in coincidences, I thought I’d share here. I’m hoping it encourages you.

Hard to believe this was 10 years ago. So much has changed. He said this was his favorite job. The base closed shop and moved across town to JBER. My Chief position got eliminated and retirement was on the horizon. I had no clue what I was going to do when I retired. People asked, “what’s next?” I’d answer, no clue, but God has a plan. Y’all, I didn’t even have a real relationship with Christ then.

My son the security guard working the main gate at Kulis Air National Guard Base

The thing that came next was a move back to NY. An amazing bed and breakfast owner named Cheryl Barber said I could come work for her at 10 Fitch Bed and Breakfast, so off to Auburn we went.

Through a turn of unfortunate events and my bad decisions, I eventually, wound up back in the city I said I’d never live again. Bloom where you’re planted has been a theme for me as I struggle in my heart to be in the town I grew up in, and couldn’t wait to escape. My mom said, my “roots” dangle. Makes me think of sitting on a dock with my feet kicking at the surface of the water. My tootsies test the water but I don’t fully jump in. Ya know what? Sometimes dangling is enough.

Dangling doesn’t have to be a bad thing. In fact, sometimes jumping all in too soon can have dire consequences. The world is made up of all kinds of folks. If I dangle in this season, it’s ok. God can use the danglers and He can use the all-in folks, and all the others in between. He’s not limited to who or what He can use. God has absolutely everything at His disposal.

My point is no matter where you are in life, God’s got you. What someone else perceives about your life is a snippet shot of the sum of you. God sees it all. He’s the only one who knows your whole story. He’s not looking at where you live, He’s looking at how you live. My roots don’t have to be planted where I live to bloom, they need to be planted in Him to bloom. Let’s read Matthew 13:1-8 (ESV)

The Parable of the Sower

“That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

What does that mean? Let’s read Matthew 13:18-23 (ESV)

The Parable of the Sower Explained

“Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

And finally, let’s read John 15:4-6 (NLT)

“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”

So, dangle or jump all in! Just make sure you do it all with Jesus, where ever you’re at! Have a great day my friends! Jesus loves you

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Red The Cat

by Trish Cordell

Well, I guess since I can’t shake the visual from my dream last night, I’ll share with you all. Fun, right?

I was in the woods. I was with somebody but not sure who it was as I didn’t see them, I only heard them. We came upon a BIG cat. I named him, Red. Poor critter was struggling to get a matted, worn looking sweater off. He rolled on the ground, pawing with all his might to get that thing off. You could tell he was getting weary from the struggle.

After a discussion with the voice, I decided to approach Red the cat to help get the sweater off. I was surprised he didn’t try to scratch or hiss at me. I worked slowly and talked calmly to Red as I first pulled one paw out, then the other. I gingerly reached for the collar and slipped the sweater off, only to find pajamas that encompassed his entire furry being.

Red trotted off before I could further assist. End of dream. But, Red and his pajamas are still ingrained in my brain.

As I reflected on my dream, my first thought was, pajamas? Really? And how did I not see the pajamas under the sweater? I mean it covered his entire furry body. But, it was the sweater that had my full attention. The details of the pajamas only appeared once the sweater was removed.

My second thought was, why didn’t Red stick around so I could help him with the pajama removal? And what was Red doing in the woods seemingly alone, and not surrounded by a loving family?

By now, you know I took this dream to my Heavenly Father and asked Him what I could take away from this dream and new new furry friend, Red.

Being in the wilderness is no fun. It feels lonely and isolating. Jesus might know a thing or two about being in the wilderness. He spent 40 days and nights there and when it was over Satan came to Him and tried to tempt Him into sin. It didn’t work. In the end, Satan fled and Jesus was attended to by angels.

The reason for His wilderness time was made clear it the first verse of Matthew 4:1.

“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.”

Jesus was sent into the wilderness for a specific reason. To be tempted by the devil. Yikes!

Now let’s tie this all together. I believe Red is symbolic of the work Jesus does when we find ourselves in the wilderness. We don’t always see what’s happening, but in this place is where we struggle to let go of the things that no longer serve us.

My furry friend Red, rolled on the ground and pawed at the sweater but he couldn’t get it off own his own. He needed help. Had I tried to help before he was ready, we both could’ve gotten hurt. It wasn’t until he was weary from the struggle that I could help.

Jesus doesn’t force us to let go of something that’s not good for us. But, there may be circumstances that happen around you, that lead you to where He wants you to go. Sometimes, that place He’s leading you to, is the wilderness.

In this place, He can slowly and tenderly attend to you. He can show you the things that you’ve allowed to replace Him. He can show you buried pieces of yourself that needs healing. He can show you that He never left or forsook you.

Just as I reached out ever so gingerly to help Red remove that worn, matted sweater, Jesus lovingly helps remove that outer matted, and worn layer that needs to go.

But, don’t be surprised if there’s more than one layer that needs to go. Red trotted off in his pajama’s because he felt relief from that shed sweater. What’s under those pajamas? I don’t know. Maybe it’s his fur, maybe it’s another layer.

What I do know is, God won’t quit halfway through the process. Nope! He’s in it for the long-haul. But, don’t take my word for it. The apostle Paul reminds us in Philippians 1:6:

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

I don’t know what season of life your in my friend. But, if you find yourself in the wilderness, don’t try to rush through it. There’s precious work being done. It’s not a punishment, it’s a refining process because of God’s great love for you. He’s got something meant just for you that He will use for your good and His glory.

And do you think that I chose the name Red by coincidence for our furry friend? I don’t think so. It was after all, the red blood of Christ that was shed for the saving of your and my life. And maybe if you think talk of the blood of Jesus is yucky, then let Red the cat help with the visual until you can embrace the blood of Jesus being your saving grace.

May you find rest for your soul today! May you feel the love Jesus Christ has for you. May you see the works of His hands all over your day today. And may you seek to know Him as He knows you; intimately and personally.

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Silly Love Songs

by Trish Cordell

The past few days, the song “Silly Love Songs” by Paul McCartney & Wings, has been running around in my head. Which is odd because I don’t really like his music. Yet, here we are. Let’s take a look at some of the lyrics:

“You’d think that people would have had enough of silly love songs
But I look around me and I see it isn’t so, oh no,
Some people want to fill the world
With silly love songs
And what’s wrong with that?”

The song was written by Paul and his wife Linda. It’s said it was written in retaliation to music critics who accused Paul of writing, well, “silly love songs.”

It would seem songs, and movies about love are always in high demand. Who doesn’t love a happy ending? This time of year we’re flooded with cheesy love stories. Despite knowing the overplayed plot of boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy wins girl back, we still tune in. We cry, we laugh, we get all sentimental and we long for the unrealistic tv version of love. Simple, silly, cheesy, love.

However, if you’ve ever been in a relationship, you know they take work. There’s no play by play book that covers every human interaction. For sure there’s similar experiences but no relationship is comparatively exact to another. We know there are highs and lows. We know things get blown out of proportion and feelings get hurt. We know they end. Sometimes we’re so devastated by the end of a relationship, it takes years to fully recover.

Even so, we long for that “silly” love connection despite knowing how awful it can make us feel. Why? Because we all love the idea of love. Can I let you in on a little secret? Love is anything but silly. Are there silly moments? Of course. But what happens when we bump up against the truly hard stuff? Do we tuck tail and run or do we press in and persevere? Allow me to share a story with you.

The beginning of a love story begins with a birth. I mean, we’re all were born at some point, right? In this particular story, this birth, no matter how long ago it happened, the purpose is the same. It never changes. It’s all about love. Not love, the sqishy, ooey, gooey, feeling; love, the action.

Once upon a time, thousands of years ago, a baby was born in the city of Bethlehem. But, not just any baby. No, this baby had a specific plan and purpose on his life. A purpose so big, only he could fulfill it. This baby, was sent specifically for you.

Let me show you.

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life.” ~ John 3:16 (GNT)

Do you see that word “everyone”? That means, you. Everyone does not exclude you, it includes you. God didn’t say, “except that one,” no, He said “everyone.” So can we now agree that God sent His Son for you?

Ok, let’s keep moving forward. The baby born in the city of Bethlehem was named Jesus. Maybe you’ve heard of Him? His mission, to save the world. Read that again. To save the world. Cue the theme from “Mission Impossible”. Who’s in this world? You are. It’s no accident you’re here, despite what you may have been told or how you may feel.

Let me show you.

“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit them together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! It is amazing to think about. Your workmanship is marvelous—and how well I know it. You were there while I was being formed in utter seclusion! You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your book!” ~ Psalm 139:13-16 (TLB)

Can we now agree, you’re no accident? Not only are you not an accident, you’re marvelous because you’re His workmanship. Not only are you marvelous, you’re wonderfully complex. All those things about you, you think are too much, not enough, or over the top, are part of your complex make-up. You are everything He thought of and put into action. I know, crazy, right?

As I mentioned earlier, the mission of Jesus was to save the world. Every single encounter we read about in the Bible is significant and completed with great purpose. As Jesus grew into the man He was purposed to be here on earth, He didn’t bypass the broken or the sick, or the downtrodden or the sinners. No, He went in search of them. Why? The answer is simple, yet so complex. Love. Not silly love. Agape love.

A grape ape what? No, no. Let’s try it again. Agape love. It’s a Greek word. This love is not a feeling. This love is all about action. It’s the highest form of love. It’s sacrificial and it puts others first.

Let me show you.

“If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love. Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.” ~ 1 Corinthians 13:3-7 (The MSG)

So, you see, you can write, listen, and sing about silly love songs. You can watch all the silly love movies, but you won’t be filled. There will still be a longing for “something” more. I know, because I bought into the lie that silly worldly, selfish love would make me whole. But, it never did.

It wasn’t until I understood that while I was still neck deep in my pit, covered in sin, that the Savior of the world, chose to sacrifice His life for mine, because of His great love. And friends, there’s nothing silly about His love for you. He’s very serious about His relationship with you. But, that’s something you’ll have to experience for yourself. Because He’s not a stand-offish God, He’s personal.

And it’s not Santa Claus, who sees you when you’re sleeping, or knows when you’re awake. Nope, it’s God. But don’t take my word for it.

Let me show you.

“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.” ~ Psalm 139:1-12 (NIV)

Nothing silly about that my friends! God sees you. He hears you. And most assuredly, He loves you. He’s not forgotten you, nor has He abandoned you. He is always, always, with you. Your mission…believe it or not. He leaves that choice in your hands. He will never force His love on you. Because His love is a gift, freely given to everyone. And yes, that still includes, YOU!

May God bless you and keep you, make His face shine upon you, and give you peace!

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Not The Glue

by Trish Cordell

“Honor your father and mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.” ~ Exodus 20:12

This post won’t be pretty because I’ve struggled with this commandment. I’ve wrestled. I’ve beat myself up with it. I’ve laid awake over not being loving enough. I’ve tried time and again to stuff the ugly feelings down, but they kept rising back to the top. Why wasn’t the forgiveness working? Was there something wrong with me? I went back to the relationship time and again, only to feel like a failure because, truth be told, I don’t like her. I feel sorry for her. I try to put myself in her shoes, but they don’t fit. Whatever she went through at the hands of my father made its way down to all of her children. Not just at his hands, but hers too. When you try to appease an abusive man, and you have kids, the kids suffer too. I guess it’s hard to protect your kids when you can’t even protect yourself.

I used to think, I was the glue that held our “family” together. That’s a lot for one person to take on. I don’t know why I have such a strong desire for family. Lord knows I’ve done my part in screwing things up, yet, it’s still there. Maybe it’s because when your family is so messed up, you desire something stable. Something that hugs and loves you. Something that lifts you up, and encourages you to keep going. That’s not what we got in the family I grew up in.

I’ve accepted that. I can’t change any of it. It’s in the past. But that doesn’t mean the past doesn’t try to seep in and take up space. I don’t recommend ignoring those thoughts. I do recommend giving pause and asking God why it’s coming up. Healing is trying to happen here and it’s a chance to grow bitter or get better. Journaling helps. Like, if you can’t talk about it, you can get it out of you by writing it out.

Forgiveness comes in all shapes and sizes. Crocodile tears, gulps of air in between heartwrenching sobs, whispers, shouting, faces etched in pain and anger, and in surrender. Surrender means you’ve placed the broken relationship in God’s hands where it belongs.

Broken people can commiserate together, but I don’t believe they can heal together. Battle wounds suffered on each person is separate. They may look similar on the outside, but the toll they took looks very different on the inside.

I kept returning to the scene of the crime expecting a different result. After all, she’s my mother. The title invokes respect, right? People innocently remind you, “she’s the only mom you’ll ever have,” and they base it off their experience with their mom.

You should be careful trying to guilt a wounded person to accept an abuser back in their life. It may not be what you mean to do, but sometimes good intentions do harm that you can’t see.

There’s an episode of the tv show “Mom” where the daughter has a podcast called, “The mother of all problems” where she speaks about her experiences growing up with an alcoholic mom. Her mother hears the show and wants to confront her daughter. The mom goes to her daughters apartment and the daughter pulls out her podcast equipment and the mom explains her side and how she’s doing so much better now and helping others. When the podcast is over, and they’re wrapping up the visit, the mom desperately wants to reconnect with her estranged daughter but the daughter tells her no, that she’s better without her mom in her life for now. The mom leaves devastated. I used to wonder how the daughter could be so harsh. I don’t wonder anymore.

In this scenario, it’s not that forgiveness didn’t happen. It did. But, healing takes time. It’s totally possible to forgive someone and not have a direct, hands-on relationship with them.

Even though the mom was now doing better, the daughter was working through her trauma and the experiences that brought her pain. She didn’t wish her mom ill, she just wasn’t ready to jump back into a full on relationship with her. In this case her mom was her abuser. Why would anyone encourage a relationship with their abuser, just because of their title?

It’s totally possible to forgive someone while you’re healing. I may not like my mom, but I love her. I have empathy for what she went through at the hands of my father. I have compassion for her pain. I also understand, that it wasn’t just my father who wreaked havoc in our lives.

I have forgiven her. I want nothing but the best for her. But in this season, the best I can do for her, is love and pray for her from a distance. The Lord knows my heart.

Do you remember when I said I thought I was the glue responsible for holding my family together? I was wrong. That was never my place. God reminded me, He’s the Savior, not me.

My responsibility is love. In this tender place, while I learn about love from my Heavenly Father, I get out of His way, because it’s never been about me. It’s always been about Jesus. But, don’t take my word for it, take His!

““Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” ~ John 14:6

Honor can happen from a distance. In that distance, make no mistake, Heavenly work is being done. And from all my experiences, that’s the work that matters most. The best part, the burden is lifted from me, and placed in the very hands of the One knows far more than I ever will, the Creator of all.

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Alcohol’s Dark Side

by Trish Cordell

Don’t you love Facebook memories? It’s crazy to think how long Facebook has been around. The other day this particular memory popped up from 11 years ago:

“What an irritating, make me wanna do unspeakable things to people I don’t even know kind of day!!!! Good thing there’s wine in the world =)”

You can tell it’s older because there were no fun emoji’s back then.

11 years ago wine was my go to comforter. What I wrote in the post made me giggle. I have no recollection what happened that day. But I no doubt consumed more wine than I should have that day. More wine than any person should drink in a day.

By the grace of God, I was rescued from the grip alcohol had on my life. Since that Facebook post, two of my loved ones died from the clutches of alcoholism, and another is back in the boxing ring, laid out on the floor, passed out. He would later wake up in the emergency room. Please pray! God knows.

There are people who can recreationally consume alcohol and go on their merry way. Others, become addicted. For those who have never been addicted your opinion about what alcoholics should do is just that, your opinion. Your experience is not the same. Your knowledge comes from what you think, based on your own experience with the substance. Thank God, you never became addicted. Have mercy on those that do.

It’s not an easy thing to talk about. No one starts their day thinking, “I can’t wait to be an addict”. It creeps up on you and by the time you realize it, you’re in its clutches. You deny the addiction. You hide the evidence. You sneak sips or gulp the drink of choice down and I daresay, hate yourself in the process. Yet, you drink it down anyway. You think you’re being clever, yet, your loved ones know, and they pay the price alongside you.

The addiction comes with the high cost of shame, guilt, self-loathing, and thoughts like, “nothing matters, no one cares, my life is over.” Truth is, you’re exhausted from the pain that’s consumed your life. You cry out to God, “kill me” and “I can’t do this anymore”. Your cry is a death song.

But God! The second you cry out to Him, He moves. Make no mistake, God is not in the business of killing, He’s in the business of saving. He’s a Savior! He’s the Alpha and Omega! He’s the Way, the Truth and the LIGHT! He knitted YOU together in your mother’s womb, and He made you with precision and loving kindness.

It’s your enemy, Satan who comes to kill, steal, and destroy. He’s the one whispering in your ear you’re worthless and nobody cares. He will do anything he can to bring you low and crawling around like a serpent in the darkness.

When you cry out, at God’s command, people move. He already set in place who would help and fight in the gap for, and with you. They are His people, putting themselves on the front lines of faith, knowing that God has a plan, a good plan, and in tandem they fight on their knees, and worship the goodness and might of God and their battle cry is “Not one more lost to this disease, Abba Father” and they ask the Good Shepherd to bring His lost sheep home into His embrace. Why? They’ve experienced first hand what God can do/has done in their own lives.

Do you know the parable of the prodigal son? The Father didn’t stand there waiting for his son to return home. No, instead, as soon as he saw his son, he RAN to meet him and embraced him in a hug, despite his son’s running off and squandering his fortune away.

You can read the parable here.

Your cry may be a death song, but God’s action is saving grace. What you do with that, is your choice. The struggle to get where you are, has already been won. Not by anything you do, but by everything He does. You simply can’t out do or out run the goodness of God.

If you know someone in the thick of the battle of addiction, please know, they already know how sad their life has become. No one keeps drinking themselves into oblivion because everything is sunshine and rainbows. Because let’s face it, life is challenging. How you walk through it, is made up of your daily choices.

Everyone talks about the fun and glamour of alcohol. No one talks about its catastrophic effects on your body and the ruination of your life. Maybe it’s time to talk about the ugly truth and bring the LIGHT into the darkness.

If you’re addicted to alcohol and reading this, know I’ve prayed for you and for God to make Himself known to you. I’ve prayed for the saving of your soul and for you to know the great love He has for you. I have faith, it’s why you’re here. It’s why you’re still reading this post. So, this is where I let His Truth speak into your soul:

““Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.“. ~ Matthew 11:28-29 (NIV)

For those addicted, cry out to Jesus! Invite Him into the battle, because ultimately, the battle belongs to the Lord. The burden is too much for us on our own. Just remember, He’s your Savior, not your destroyer.

For my brothers and sisters in Christ, armor up, the front lines are calling.

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Blessed to be Broken

God's not finished with me yet!

The Want of More

Moral High Ground

Moral High Ground

Check Your Thoughts

The Way Out

Dangle or Jump All In

Red The Cat

Silly Love Songs

Not The Glue

Alcohol’s Dark Side

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