Author: Lois Williams

October 2^nd, 2020

          Greetings! I believe we can all agree that these times are strange. Fear rules; along with quarantines and social distancing…words that previously had no direct meaning in our lives. How quickly everything has changed!
          I have to admit that I really dislike wearing a mask. I do it, whenever I am around other people, but what I miss is not being able to see the expressions on people’s faces! So much of who I am (or was) depends on looking into eyes and sharing a smile. Oh, I still smile; but who sees, who knows? It feels like a crowd of robots, in a sense, faces covered, intent on completing the errands, and heading home, back to quarantine. I find it a bit disconcerting.
          But it also makes me wonder if this is not a reflection of how we often reacted before all this no-contact, 6 feet apartness, began to surface? Did we really ever see each other? Now that we can’t, I regret the non-ability to communicate. I hope that when masks aren’t an order, that we will remember how important it is for our expressions to be read by others; that we show our hearts in our smiles.
          You know, I still smile…behind my mask…and watch to see if others are smiling behind theirs? It will show, if it’s real, in the crinkling of our eyes. That’s what I watch for now. Because real joy can’t be hidden, even behind a mask, and I want my eyes to show the joy in my heart…even as I move my shopping cart 6 feet away!
           I trust that even with all the inconvenience, the anxiety, the uncertainty, that each one of you will know in the depth of your heart that our God is still on the throne. His smile penetrates the dissonance of our concern for the future, and assures us of His loving faithfulness.

This week I was looking through my collection of quotes (I do love them!), and was moved by a poem I had copied down, written by George Herbert, a 17th century Welsh-born poet and Anglican priest.  Just so you know, he is recognized as “one of the foremost British devotional lyricists”.  A very wise man!  Anyway, here is what I copied in my little book:

“Of all the creatures both in sea and land,
only to man Thou hast made known Thy ways,
and put the pen alone into his hand
and made him secretary of Thy praise.”

Think about that for a moment.  Of everything God has made, we humans alone have received His word, His story, so that we can know Him in a totally different way than the rest of creation.  I was a secretary all of my professional life, and so this struck a chord in my heart.  I am still a secretary!
          Now, though, I take dictation from my Heavenly Father, and do my best to be accurate in transcribing it!  A secretary of His praise.  What an honor!  A record keeper, one who is allowed into the inner sanctum of the holy place, to hear, in order to share, in a way, the desire of His heart.  I used to be so proud of my position, sitting in the place of secretary to the president. I made my position my identity.
           So, as I pondered these words of an ancient poet I was brought to a place of joyful thanksgiving, delighted to realize that now my identity is still my position…the only difference is that now my position is kneeling before Him in gratitude because I am His beloved child.  Yes, I will work for Him.  Yes, I will transcribe His words to my heart…guess what?  He can’t fire me!  This position is forever and ever, and I pray that from the pen He placed in my hand I will bring glory to Him. 

When I first began writing, from a heart that was slowly healing, I found this instruction in the book of Jeremiah 30:2, “Thus speaks the LORD God of Israel, saying, ‘Write in a book for yourself all the words I have spoken to you.'”   I took it literally!   So, here’s the best news!  You all, too, are made secretaries of His praise!  Doesn’t that inspire you?  Think about it.  There is a pen in your hand, as well; how will you use it?  I’m not saying that we all must write a literal book, but we are all writing our story, one way or another, and we are all part of God’s story, with a place in that story just for us.  We are so privileged to be able to know Him, hear from Him, read His words to us, and we shouldn’t take our job lightly.  I hope this challenges your heart, as it has mine.   

“…but their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.” Luke 24:16

“Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him…: Luke 24:30

“And they told about the things that had happened on the road and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.” Luke 24:35

The Bread of Life was broken on Calvary. Torn beyond recognition, crumbled,that all might receive, all might know Him.

Two travelers on the road to Emmaus… eyes, formerly blinded as they walked with Him, were opened as the Bread of Life broke the loaf, and blessed it. The revelation does not come without the breaking.

And so it is in Jesus’ broken body that we can know Him, experience Him. Eyes blinded by unbelief, sadness and grief are opened as He reveals Himself in communion.

Receiving my own morsel of broken bread, opens my heart, and I am infused with a sweet knowledge of sacrifice and love, mercy and grace. It is Jesus, alive in me; This is the blessing… this communion.

© Lois Williams 

October 10^th

Greetings! You may or may not have noticed that I didn’t write a post last week. It’s been sort of a rocky road lately. Since I last wrote, I have had 2 ultra-sounds, a chest CT scan, an MRI, numerous blood draws and several doctor visits! Sort of staggering, huh?

At my September 12^th checkup, the doctor found that I was anemic, and in trying to determine the cause for it, she scheduled the scan and ultrasound. All was okay except for an abnormality on my pancreas, so on to the gastroenterology clinic for an evaluation. Their recommendation was an MRCP, a specialized MRI on just the duct system in my body. This was vague and rather inconclusive so next week I will have an Ultra-Sound Upper Endoscopy test. Trying to figure out just what the problem is.

Many of you have been walking this path with me, but I am asking for your prayers, if you are not already praying! Obviously there is cause for concern, but I am choosing to live in hope and God has indeed been for me lately, “a very present help in trouble”. Psalm 46:10. I have felt His presence, His peace, in ways that are impossible to describe, but are filling me with the joy of the LORD. Scriptures and hymns are floating across my mind!

As my son reminded me when we shared with him what was going on, “Mom, you wrote a book about how you learned to walk in faith through difficulties. Now is the time to show that what you wrote is really true for you!” That brought me up short! What an opportunity to bring glory to my God.

So, speaking of my book! It is still available if you are interested. Just private message me for further information.

In the meantime, even though we don’t really know enough yet to be worried, still there is that stinging little fear that says, “What If?” So I ask for your faithful prayers that the voice of fear will be silenced, and that you will sing with me:

	“Great is Thy faithfulness,” O God my Father, There is no shadow of turning with Thee; Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.
	“Great is Thy faithfulness!” “Great is Thy faithfulness!” Morning by morning new mercies I see; All I have needed Thy hand hath provided— “Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord, unto me!
2	Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest, Sun, moon and stars in their courses above, Join with all nature in manifold witness To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
3	Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth, Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide; Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside.   Until next time, with hope for a fixable diagnosis…Love, Lois

 

 

September 24^th

Sending my loving greetings! It’s been another of those whirlwind weeks! Good in so many ways, yet as I get older I notice my stamina sagging! I know I’m not alone, as I hear that in conversations so very often.

I returned last night from a retreat where I was privileged to present a breakout session based on my new book. It was such joy, not only to be able to do that, but also to connect again with friends I had made last year, and to find some extraordinary new friends! I want to tell you about them!

Following dinner the first night, I was walking back to my room. My hip was hurting…I know that’s because I am not used to walking up and down hills, over gravel paths, etc…, but as I limped down the hill I heard a voice asking, “Ma’am, can we help you to your room?” Two lovely ladies were approaching me, so I stopped and asked them “Why? Was I limping?” “Yes, you were, and we thought we could help you!” I hadn’t thought it was noticeable, but I was wrong. I asked them, “How were you going to help me?” and they replied, “Well, we would have picked you up and carried you if we had needed to!”

We all laughed, and began a conversation. How can it be that we can find a connection almost immediately sometimes? I learned a lot about them in just a few minutes, and we prayed together and hugged in a beautiful moment. My prayer was “Oh God, thank you for my limp!”

They may not have literally carried me, but they carried me emotionally. Encouraging me, wanting to be with me, always saving a place beside them and including me in their activities. One of the two had never been to a women’s retreat, or conference, and it was pure joy to watch her open up and bloom in learning and worship. As we said goodbye yesterday morning, there were tears and I know I have made some lifelong friends. I thank God; and I’m still wrapped in the memory of the precious fellowship we experienced.

I always treasure the connections I am blessed to make at women’s events. This year was no exception. Meeting up with other friends who welcomed me back with open arms, attended my breakout session, bought my books and prayed with and for me. We enjoyed meals together and promised to get together during the year!

So as I’ve been pondering about the people in our lives, I’d like to share something from my book; the segment called “Connections”. “I am deeply touched to consider how wonderful it is to explore with joy and thanksgiving the connections God sends our way. 1 Corinthians 12 talks a lot about the body of Christ and how we are all individuals, but yet a part of something so much greater. ‘For as the body is one and has many members but all ten members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.’ 1 Corinthians 12:12. I also rejoice to read Verse 18, ‘But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.‘ These connections, these relationships, are not by accident and I am very grateful for what He has pleased to do for us.”

Last week I talked about how important it is for us to notice those around us, to offer assistance, to watch. Today I want to say to Carol and Donna, “Thank you for noticing me! You have blessed me with your loving attention.”

And to all of you who read my words, I thank you, because you do mean so much to me. May we keep on keeping on, in gratitude.

Love, Lois

September 16^th

Greetings! Fall has arrived in earnest. But how beautiful the colors and how fun to get a sweatshirt from the closet and head out into a lovely cool autumn!

Are you a “Noticer?” I have often told my husband that if I wrote a book about him it would be called “The Noticer”. He seems to notice everything! Anything that is out of order, like telephone wires in an old Western movie, for instance. He will ask me, “What is wrong with this picture?” To which I answer, “I didn’t notice!” This question has been brought close to my thoughts over the past few days.

On our anniversary, September 10, we went out for breakfast. As we sat is the booth, 3 times people whom we knew walked by and did not notice us! Perhaps that seems a bit silly, but we are always looking around for someone we know to make a connection, hopefully. Of course we don’t go as far as to wave our arms and jump up and down! We looked at each other and chuckled that everyone is not like us and does not pay attention to their surroundings.

Then a gentleman we didn’t know stopped at our table and asked, “Guess who I got to see today?” Intrigued, we said, “Who?” thinking it was some celebrity. He answered, “You!” He then proceeded to have a conversation with us, congratulating us and sharing some of his life. We totally enjoyed the encounter! What an interesting way to open up dialogue.

This experience was close to my thoughts when I got home I opened my devotional for the day, the title being “Look Up”! Amazed at the way God gets my attention, my eyes watered to consider the truth of the Scripture in Luke 21:28: “Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”

            We have been studying prophecy and end times in our church’s small group, so this explains, perhaps, why I was so taken with this passage, following on the heels of our discussion on noticing things! I believe that “these things” mentioned in this passage have begun to happen, and it behooves us to lift our heads and notice!

There is great hope here. Our Redemption is coming, and our destiny is set, if we believe in Jesus’ and His sacrifice for us. Let us look around and see to what and where God is pointing.

Are you a noticer? I hope to become a better one! That’s all for this week. See you next week.

Love, Lois