This Little Light of Mine –  by Sandra Fischer

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." – John 8:12 (NIV)

A sudden blackout occurred during an evening storm causing total darkness in our home and neighborhood. Lights, appliances, and all the electronic devices we are blessed to enjoy—the computer, TV, and telephone succumbed to the outage. I was bummed.

Then, I recalled Ben Franklin’s advice: “Instead of cursing the darkness, light a candle.” I managed to navigate through the dark to find that ancient alternative tucked away in a drawer. With one click of a lighter, the small, soft glow of the burning taper dispelled the blackness in the room. 

The luminance of the candle fascinated me. As I watched it yield its wax to the flaming wick, I marveled at the power of one little light to penetrate the darkness. I thought of the Light we celebrate during the Advent season—Jesus, heaven-sent by God, who came into this dark world, declaring Himself to be its Light.

I remembered, too, that because I am His follower, I have the Light of life. And, He says, "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 6:14 (NIV) At times I am overwhelmed by the world’s darkness—a temporary “power outage” beyond my control. Yet, I can choose to be like the light of this one small candle—dispelling the gloom in my small corner of the world. Instead of cursing the darkness, I can let my little light shine. 

Lord, help me to remember the Power within me is greater than that in the world.

Sandra is a Faithwriters Platinum member, author of the book, “Seasons in the Garden.” Contact

My Special GPS

My Special GPS - Sandra Fischer “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27 (NIV) Ever wonder how we made it anywhere without a GPS (Global Positioning System)? Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for technology that helps directionally-challenged people like me. And, as I grow older and lose short-term memory brain cells, I’m hoping for a new advanced system to tell me why I went to the kitchen and what I went there to get. Regardless of all the devices humans have created for directions or supplemental guidance, as a Christian believer, I have a GPS of far greater importance than any man-made invention—God’s Preordained Shepherd. This GPS, provided by the one and only Almighty, Ever-present, All-knowing God ensures that I am never lost or out of His reach, nor is He out of mine. The writer of Psalm 139:7-9 (NIV) writes: “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.” While the voice on a man-made global device tells me where to turn or which route is best while traveling, if I listen to the voice of Jesus, my Shepherd, I will end up where I belong—following Him as He guides me securely on the right path every day, which eventually will lead me safely home with Him. Sandra is a Faithwriters platinum member, author of the book, Seasons in the Garden. Contact

Healer of our Hearts

 

Healer of Our Hearts - Sandra Fischer

Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart ~

 Psalm 119:2 ESV

Our first granddaughter was born with a hole in her heart and the prognosis was that she would need surgery, if the hole did not close. God answered our prayers to heal it without surgery. She is a healthy teenager today. 

Pascal, a 17th century theologian, contended that we all are born with spiritual holes in our hearts. He said that this God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every person can never be filled by any created thing, but only by God. It does not heal on its own. 

Some of us try to fill it with people or things – family, friends, jobs, hobbies, achievements or material possessions. Some even use drugs or other addictive substances to fill the void. We search what the world offers to make us complete, but only Jesus can fill that empty space, if we allow him to. Only Christ, the heart healer, can make our holey hearts whole.

Has the hole in your heart been healed? Or are you searching for someone or something to fill it? The answer is just a prayer away. Ask God to forgive your sin and accept his gift of grace through Christ’s provision by his death, burial and resurrection. 

"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.". Romans 10:9-10 ESV

Lord, I pray for those who don’t realize that you, Jesus, are the only heart healer. I pray they will come to know you and allow you to make them whole.

Sandra is a Faithwriters.com platinum member, author of the book, “Seasons in the Garden”. Contact

Spring is here!

Today's Devotional

As published  3-3-17 on Faithwriters Daily Devotional Page

"Learning about Grace"   by Sandra Fischer “But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.’” – James 4:6 NIV  Our granddaughter’s middle name is Grace, given to her at birth ten years ago. She was born with many handicaps; so, it appeared to some that Grace may not have been an appropriate name. She possesses a rare genetic deletion causing her to be virtually deaf, mentally slow and developmentally challenged, but she has lived up to her name by demonstrating its meaning to those who know her. She has blessed so many of our lives by showing us the nature of Christ in her unspoken ways. She does not talk back to her parents, nor say unkind things to anyone. She doesn’t roll her eyes or sigh in judging others’ appearances or demeanor. She never lies nor gossips and does not make promises she cannot keep. She does not hold grudges and is never hypocritical. She delights in simple things and is not enamored by riches, fame or worldly pursuits. While devoid of some abilities given others, God has given her the gift of showing us the attributes of grace, a humble lesson all of us can take to heart by displaying such consideration in our own speech and actions. I am so grateful to God for giving us more grace through our own dear Grace. Lord, help us to see your grace in others and to extend it to those needing to see Christ in us.  Sandra is a Faithwriters Platinum member and author of the book, Seasons in the Garden. Contact  http://www.faithwriters.com/member-profile.php?id=1729

February means Valentines and everyday ones are best.

New Year Resolutions

New Year Resolutions

 

            The New Year is at the gate, the clock is ticking loud and clear

            I’ll need to hurry if I’m to keep the resolutions I made last year!  Anonymous

             Ever wonder where the whole idea of New Year resolutions came from? It seems we can blame—that is—attribute to the Babylonians the idea of assessing the past and resolving to improve in the new year. It caught on, obviously, and has continued to this day.

            Of course, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to improve oneself; I’ve tried it many times. In fact, the top three resolutions in America fit well into my list for the New Year as they have for several new years in the past – to spend more time with family and friends, to lose weight and to get fit. I’ve observed, however, that most of the time spent with family and friends is centered around food. Thus, the most exercise I get is the walk to the table and the elbow bend to the mouth. A little counter-productive to be sure—while striving to fulfill the first resolution, I jeopardize the other two! 

            Some slackers might say “you can’t break what you don’t make”. But for those who regard this earth as a garden in which we live, turning over a new leaf couldn’t hurt.  The problem is that producing new leaves takes time, and in a culture that has grown to accept and expect instant gratification, resolutions requiring patience and commitment are thrown aside. Texting and Facetime have replaced the one-on-one contacts and we are barraged with offers for quick weight-loss programs. We want resolutions and we want them now!

Perhaps the wisest approach to making any changes in our lives is to consider resolutions we might be able to keep for a “New Day” or even a “New Hour”, rather than taking on a whole year to try to achieve them. Success comes in small steps even for making the long run.

So, what about making some resolutions this New Year’s? I plan to carefully consider what I decide about them, so that my they will not go in one year and out the other.