I would like to introduce you to a wonderful young lady, Nettie Clawson. She hails from my hometown in Pittsburgh. She describes herself as an "old soul"...I would say she has the faith and wisdom of someone twice her age. I know that at 22, I didn't have a passion for sharing my faith like she does...
I invite you to welcome her here and give her some lovin' in the comments below. She's working on getting her blog up and running so stay tuned...
Hello! My name is Nettie Clawson. I am a deep old soul that’s actually only
been around for 22 years and was born and raised in a small farm town near Pittsburgh,
PA. I have an adventurous spirit and vision
to share Jesus with all that I meet. I
am passionate about: Jesus, people, singing, writing and ounces of coffee daily. I also love kids and am currently a Special
Education Teacher for Kindergarten through Fifth Grade students at a school in
Cary, North Carolina.
Although I love the
southern hospitality, I do miss my pop (soda) and talking to yins guys from the
North. My dreams of: acquiring a southern
accent by saying ya’ll, and drinking sweet tea, have definitely come true. I came to Christ when I was twelve years old
as my Gram led me to front of the church altar to make the decision to commit
my life to Christ. I continue to aspire to the vision Jesus placed on my heart
then to this day.
Meeting
people right where they are, and revealing to them the reality of a
relationship with Christ, is a genuine desire of my heart. It thrills my soul
to write encouragements, therefore, I pray that the words of my mouth and the
meditations of my heart will be pleasing in the Lord’s sight and that He will
be praised! (Psalm 19:14)
You are not alone.
We smile when we walk past a fellow
co-worker in the morning with the usual greeting of: their “How are you?” and our: “I’m
good.” We’re relaying the message
that we are okay and life is going swell.
It is a surface answer for a deep issue. The night prior our pillow was
saturated with hours of unending tears, and an additional amount of face paint
was required this morning to cover up the deep dark rolls under our eyes to go
unnoticed. Truly, we think, if only they
knew. If only they understood, what we really were going through. The fact that our life was falling into
shambles, and that we’re barely getting by.
It turns out that we end up walking in a daze of defeat, and struggle to
get through trying situations in this life…alone.
Studies show that more than half of
Americans have no one outside their immediate family that they share their life
story with. They are left lonely. Loneliness leads to isolation, depression,
and potentially suicide. What if, there was
an answer to all of this though. What if
there was per say a “cure” to loneliness. What if people knew the truth that
they did not have to struggle through this life alone? If we look at this verse: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of
the age.” (Matthew 28:20) Jesus talks to his disciple’s right before He was about
to ascend into Heaven. He leaves a very
important message for his disciples to remember. The fact that He was always with them to the
very end of the age. Do you know the depth of what this verse means? Although
Jesus was leaving His disciples, He was stating He would still be with them,
but how? It’s like an oxymoron. How can
He leave them, but still be there with them? Simple, with His spirit in their
hearts.
God’s spirit is something so
profound and important. The fact that God’s
presence through all trials and struggles is something I recently experienced
in a mighty way. Having my car break
down, ending a relationship with someone I thought I was getting married to,
and having a financial hardship is a brief glimpse of the trials, but through
it all I noticed one simple yet profound truth.
God was with me. There was something so comforting in that verse of
Matthew 28:20 to me that I continually rehearsed over my life in the midst of
the trials. The fact that He was with me
through all of that hardship was more than enough.
My friend, can I tell you something
today? You have two choices. You can
choose to live in your circumstances, or you can choose to live above your
circumstances. How? By choosing the joy that Jesus has given us with His spirit
and knowing this simple truth. He is
with you, He is with you, He is WITH YOU my friend! I can relate, I’ve been
there. In the deepest, darkest times of your life when you feel as though waves
of turmoil are crashing down on you God is whispering you are NOT alone, I am with you, just trust
me. Those times when you have cried
night after night, screaming “God WHY?”
You are hoping, wishing, praying for an answer to cure all of your trials and
struggles, but still not seeing or hearing anything. Do not lose hope. He IS doing something.
God will work his greatest in you when you
hear His whispers. Why is that? How did
God appear to Elijah when the Israelites disobeyed God and were coming after
Elijah to potentially kill him too in 1 Kings 19:12? Not in the wind, or the earthquake or the
fire, but God spoke in a gentle whisper, that still small voice. Do you realize when you’re screaming out to
God “where are you?” or “why is this happening to me?” He is
whispering right back you the whole time “just trust me because, I am with you.”
God is working in a deeper way through your
trials and struggles now that will show you later and others that He is with
you later to come. Yes, trials and
struggles are hard. Yes, it’s not easy
to make a choice daily to choose joy, but Jesus chose you when He hung on that
cross and cried out “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” (Luke
23:34) Jesus chose you, when He was beaten and mocked and scorned. Jesus chose you to endure through those trials
and hardships so that others can see your faith throughout them and glorify the
Father. Jesus chose you to walk beside,
and do this thing called life with when you had no one.
Now do you see, you are not alone? There
are purposes in the pain and my friend, looking beyond every trial that we try
but yet may never fully grasp or comprehend remember Christ staring at you with
loving eyes saying I am here and you are important to me. Jesus does not want
us to walk through that alone. He is so
present in all of the struggles. Through our sorrows and celebrations Jesus is
there. When you are ill or injured,
Jesus is there. When you lose a job, or family member Jesus is there. When you have been blessed with an amazing
community to encourage and support you, Jesus is there. Be encouraged to go
through this thing called life with someone always by your side. Jesus. With Jesus you have the assurance that
no matter what you face, you have the ability to choose joy. My friend, He is with you and He is working a
greater testimony out of your trials.
“The
LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor
forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." Deuteronomy 31:8
Be blessed,
Nettie
Bev, here again...I'll be taking a belated spring break to spend some time with family and refueling in God's word. I plan to be back the 21st, with a refreshed spirit. Please pray for our family...we said goodbye for now to our sweet, sweet, Zoe bear this morning. So thankful for how this silky-furred family member gave us glimpses into God's unconditional love...miss you girl...
Please keep praying for the safety of the children that we support in the Middle East though Redeemer Christian Foundation, Inc.
"HEAR THE CRIES of your brothers and sisters
in captive nations!
They do not ask for escape, safety, or an easy life.
They ask only for the tools to counteract the poisoning of their youth -
the next generation."
- Richard Wurmbrand, in "Tortured for Christ"