The Truth Is In The Shadows

               The Truth Is In The Shadows,

           in the deep niches of our searching.

Before I start, I am going to assume you know about the biblical characters, Samson, the strong man, the warrior of Israel and Samuel the Hebrew Prophet. I’m not going to write their stories in this small work, but if you don’t know these two men, you might like to read about them before you begin.

The truth is in the shadows, in the deep niches of our searching. We don’t always see it. We don’t often hear it. But it is there, if only we’d dig into the unfathomable and yet profound word of God. For He will reveal the truth, if we search for Him with our whole heart.

I come to Samson and Samuel today. They are an allegory for life, a parable, if you will. Samson the strong man of God and Samuel a prophet of the Lord. Both men used by God, in their own distinct and individual way. In the same way we are distinct and individual and will be used by God, if we allow it.

Samson and Samuel; both men set aside for the Lord’s work and both with different stories to tell. One went astray and the other followed his divine path.

Although Samson’s mother was not named, the bible does introduce her as barren of children, and although Samson’s mother had not prayed for a child, still, an angel of the Lord appeared and told her she will have a son.

Samuel’s mother, Hannah, prayed for a son. She hadn’t been able to fall pregnant and so like Samson’s mother, was also barren until God answered her prayer. Hannah told the Lord, if He answered her prayer and gave her a son, when the time was right, she would give her son back to the Lord and she kept her word. Hanna took Samuel to the priests and gave him up to be raised by them. Thus, Samuel stayed in the house of the Lord, and there he learned to follow the ways of God.

One mother prayed for her child, the other didn’t. One dedicated the life of her child to the Lord, the other didn’t. Samson’s parents did ask how to raise the child well, but there was no talk of dedicating him to the Lord’s work.

Samson became worldly, giving in to temptation in many areas of life and he didn’t follow the advice of his parents. Instead, he went against his parent’s wishes, and headed down twisted and dead end paths, until he became a prisoner, blind and weak.

Samuel, raised in a church environment, didn’t leave it, nor did he go astray. He lived a holy life all his days.

One man went on to have many troubles. The other went on to do great things for God and although eventually Samson’s hair grew long again and he regained his strength, it was much later in life and only after a lot of hardship. It was only then that Samson was finally able to be used by God.

Eventually Samson remembered his teachings and his full power was returned to him. He ended up doing a great thing for God, in killing many Philistine’s, as he razed the temple pillars to the ground, upon not only the Philistine’s, but also upon himself, dying in his last act. The sad part is, he could have been like Samuel, had he not strayed. He could have been doing great things for God his whole life, instead of going through years of hardship.

Now while this is the story of many of us, those who stray and those who stay, it also shows us, it’s never too late to turn back and do a great work for God.

Satan can’t penetrate a heart that’s saturated by scripture and fortified by faith. It’s in the battles of life, where you realize whether or not you’ve nurtured or neglected your faith. Your faith is constantly under attack. Your faith can only sustain you, for as long as you feed it. If your faith becomes weak, it’s often because it hasn’t been properly fed. It’s prayer and scripture which strengthen faith. Spending time with God and in God’s word, never fails to increase our belief in our great and wonderful God.

Samson neglected his faith. He didn’t spend time in church. Instead, he spent his time labouring in worldly ways. He drank and womanised, spent time in poor company, while behaving badly. Samuel on the other hand, stayed the course, remained in God’s house, constantly going about God’s work. If we want a victorious life, we should never neglect this important aspect of the story; stray and wander out of place and into hardship, or stay and receive the many blessings of God.

Does this story guarantee you a trouble-free life? If you follow the Lord, will you get the end of your life’s journey unscathed? No. This is a fallen world and Jesus said; in this world you will have trouble. We don’t need help it along though, or make it any worse through poor thoughts, poor choices and poor actions.

And if you wish to raise righteous children, perhaps you might consider these things; to raise your children in the bosom of the Lord, to dedicate them to the Lord’s work, that they may not stray, but live a life of joyful servitude to the One True God. Perhaps that’s a noble pursuit.

God knows, in this day and age, we must try to keep our faith at all costs, for evil awaits in the darkness, for the one who is not vigilant. The times are evil my friends. Be counted as one who waits on the Lord. Raise your family in God’s house. Encourage your friends to come along, for although we know not when the time is come, we do know this; the time is short.

About the author:

Alexandra Grose – An investigative photojournalist and author for over twenty years. Writing is her passion and her dream and helping others achieve their dreams, through her written work, is Alexandra's greatest aspiration.

#Integrity; truthfulness, honesty and reliability, in all things.

I believe one should....be truthful in everything you say and do. Keep all relationships open and honest. Be reliable, punctual and organised and if you say you'll do it - do it.

If you want to soar like an eagle, make an effort, not an excuse.

alexandragrose@amazon.com

Revelation Of The Cross

There’s roughly 10 inches between the heart and the mind. If you align your heart with your mind and if you align your left brain and your right, what do you get? The Cross. What does The Cross bring to your life? Salvation and revelation. Why is that important? The Cross is the perfect alignment to life.

The full potential of our abilities is achieved when all parts interact (mind, body and spirit) and it's just as easy for me to state I’m right, as it is for you to state I’m wrong. Pride blinds the arrogant and until you have revelation and illumination, you're never going to see the light.

You can’t have a moral state, without a moral compass. A moral state without a moral compass, is just your own perception of morality. There are some incredibly evil people in the world, who believe their own world views are right. Take Stalin and Hitler, for example. Their moral compass was skewed. They thought their ideals were correct. Although Hitler considered becoming a priest at one point, he later rejected the notion and Stalin rebelled early on against religion. Both men thought their ideas correct. Both men used their own moral compass.

Do you think if these men knew to; “Love your neighbour as yourself,” they would have tortured and killed so many? In using their own moral compass, they’ve both gone down as two of the most despised men in written history.

The bible is the moral compass. When one abdicates the moral compass of the bible, there is no other compass, except that which we conclude is our own, with no ‘thing’ to back it up. It’s then just our own idea of what we believe to be morally right. Just as Stalin and Hitler were wrong, so too could our lack of moral compass lead us down a wrong path.

When using mind, body and spirit, intuition is brought forth. Intuition is behind the ability to perceive. At times, thinking requires an element of intuition to be accurate. You believe your own thoughts guide you to truth and you build that truth without any consideration to the real truth, the moral compass of the written word: The Bible. In essence, you lack the ability to see clearly because, you only see from your point of view.

Common agreement is often based on logic, not truth, however, using all your faculties (i.e.: mind, body and spirit) directs the brain to a faster solution, even if you've touched on truth with logic. That's why younger people are often more intuitive and less trapped by their beliefs, than older people. Young people are more open to learning new ideas. Their mind isn’t constrained by reason, but includes a great imagination. They aren’t stifled by the constraints of the norm and freely daydream about what can be.

Pursue understanding. Read what you don't know. Constantly seek new information and apply what you’ve learned and do what you already know. The combination of learning and applying will develop your perception and this is how you achieve anything you want in life.

When I first learnt share trading it was like reading a new language. It took hours and hours of study, before I understood the finer points of trading. It took just as many hours of searching the charts, until I found a share which fit the bill. Now I can look in a few minutes and see exactly what I’m looking for.

Initially learning is hard, but it gets easier and faster with practice - that's how you become good at something. You've reached a state of harmony, in whatever field you’ve chosen and automation has taken place.

Like learning to drive a car. At first, you’re clumsy in changing gears. And driving a straight line – forget it. When automation takes place, you’ll notice things have become smoother and without effort, or thinking. Once what you’re doing is less of a struggle to understand, then you'll have good success. Particularly if you use a moral compass that isn’t skewed by your own thoughts.

Most people are too afraid to step out and be different. Most like to follow the crowd, working the 9-5 and hating it, living far from God and the meaning of life and they won't even try to change. The revelation of The Cross will bring new life, if only we seek to discover it. Study, learn, seek, apply and you can change your life. I know, because I’ve done it.

 

About the author:

Alexandra Grose – An investigative photojournalist and author for over twenty years. Writing is her passion and her dream and helping others achieve their dreams, through her written work, is Alexandra's greatest aspiration.

 

#Integrity; truthfulness, honesty and reliability, in all things.

I believe one should....be truthful in everything you say and do. Keep all relationships open and honest. Be reliable, punctual and organised and if you say you'll do it - do it.

If you want to soar like an eagle, make an effort, not an excuse.

 

alexandragrose@amazon.com

 

 

 

 

Our Personal Pathway Through Cancer.

 

Our Personal Pathway Through Cancer.

While I’m still awaiting an answer for one particular prayer, I haven’t lost a battle yet, when I’ve taken it up in prayer. Some battles just take longer to win than others.

Some of you have heard this story. A couple of you were galivanting the globe, when I gave my testimony on my husband’s cancer. One of you is fighting cancer today and this is for you. I’m praying for you too. But also, for all of you who are praying for healing or breakthrough, this serves as a reminder of what God can do, to bring you hope and courage that God does answer prayer.

John had a tumour removed from his abdomen a number of years ago. Apparently, it was the size of a football. After removal, a 6-month check-up showed it hadn’t regrown, but nodules had appeared on John’s scans, in the area of his lungs. As a reformed smoker and someone who’d worked with asbestos, John wasn’t surprised to hear this.

At that time I said to John; “No! We’ve been through cancer and beat it. I’m not accepting this. I’ll pray they dissipate and disappear.”

6 months later and the next check-up showed these nodules hadn’t grown, but had remained the same. I said to John; “God’s good. They’re no worse, but I’m still praying they dissipate and disappear.”

6 months later and yet again another check-up and the doctor said; “These nodules appear to have shrunk” and 6 months after that, they were gone.

The check-ups went from 6-monthly to 2 yearly. 2 years later, no more cancer. 2 years after that, no more cancer. Just this past Monday, again 2 years on and the doctor says; “You’re all clear. I won’t need to see you again.”

Praise God! A journey of almost 11 years and now cancer free.

John’s an atheist. John wasn’t healed because of his faith in God. John was healed because of my faith in God. Because God hears the cry of His people. Because I know God’s name, when I call to Him, He will answer me. It says so, in Psalm 91.

There are many reasons for taking communion, but in taking of the bread and the blood, there is healing, strength and protection. It’s the reason why the Israelites, young and old, were all able bodied when they left Egypt. Their journey took 40 years.

It doesn’t matter how long the journey takes, if you’ve prayed for it, God will work behind the scenes and bring it forth. If it doesn’t come to pass, it’s because God has something even better in mind for you. So, pray, let go and let God. Dig deep and trust that He will work to deliver the best He has for you.

As we partake in communion, we’re reminding ourselves of that strength, protection and healing, which Jesus gave at such a great price. He told the disciples to eat of His body and drink of His blood, and do it often in His name, in remembrance of Him.

And so, let’s eat and drink today, remembering the sacrifice Jesus gave, with faith, thanksgiving and praise.

Just a small and deeply personal story of what God can do, if only we believe.

 

About the author:

Alexandra Grose – An investigative photojournalist and author for over twenty years. Writing is her passion and her dream and helping others achieve their dreams, through her written work, is Alexandra's greatest aspiration.

 

 

#Integrity; truthfulness, honesty and reliability, in all things.

I believe one should....be truthful in everything you say and do. Keep all relationships open and honest. Be reliable, punctual and organised and if you say you'll do it - do it.

If you want to soar like an eagle, make an effort, not an excuse.

 

alexandragrose@amazon.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overcoming The Attack Of The Devil

        Overcoming The Attack Of The Devil

My friend was mowing her lawn, trying to beat the diminishing evening light. Possibly we might all know the feeling of trying to beat the setting sun when gardening, or doing some other thing outdoors.  

The mower belt broke on the ride-on and my friend didn’t get to complete the task. How annoying is that, for the belt to break and not finish the job? It’s now become a blocked goal: You see, you wanted to mow and couldn’t. Sometimes blocked goals can make us angry. Sometimes we have to work on staying in peace. We should remain peaceful during the storms of life and not get upset. The reason being to resist the devil.

The devil, a coiled serpent waiting to strike the unwary, is like a battering ram, consistently coming at you to stop you from achieving your goals. He’s especially consistent when it comes to listening to great Christian speakers, or reading our bibles.

Another way the devil will stop you attaining your goals is, by keeping you distracted. Either way, we don’t finish what we started and at times we don’t even get started. During times such as this, we need to remember; satan (I refuse to capitalise his name) has power, but no authority, however we have all power and authority. That means we’re stronger than the devil, believe or not.

Sometimes, though, we get tired of the battering ram, striking and hammering and beating at us, time and time again and eventually this causes us to cave in. This allows the devil a foothold into our situation and every time we allow a foothold, the devil is strengthened in our lives.

The way to beat the devil at his own game is to over-ride our feelings and listen to the message anyway, to read our bible anyway. No matter what we have caved in to, we can beat the devil by over-riding our feelings and doing what’s right, before God.

There's no separation between God's power and God's word. If you want His power to work in your life, you have to be reading His word. We have to do what we know to be right, to be seen doing what we should be doing, if we want to overcome the devil.

There are voices in our head (so yeah, we can all appear a little crazy at times) and once we understand the other voices in our head (the one’s besides God, which speak to us), then we can know who’s doing the talking and it becomes easier to differentiate between our own voice, satan’s voice and the voice of our precious Lord God.  

Often, when it’s satan talking, I’ll tell him; “Go away, you gnat. You’re less than a flee and I’m not listening.” He’s pretty cowardly and easily put off. He almost always goes away immediately.

I heard someone say recently, that feelings are schizophrenic…all over the place. And it’s true. Feelings are fickle. One moment we feel great, the next, we’re in a heap on the floor. And the devil plays a big part in that. He doesn’t want us walking with God and will try every trick he can to stop us.

Demons don’t die. They’re always looking for a body to rest upon. They’re deceitful and lie to you all the time, about everything. And you’ll know it’s a demon, because a demon, who’s also known as the accuser, will accuse. Demons accuse you and tell you; you’re so stupid, you can’t do this, what an idiot you are. You can’t, you’re stupid, you’re an idiot. All the words satan and his demonic cohorts will use, to accuse you.

Your own voice will tell you; I’m so stupid, I can’t do this, what an idiot I am. You aren’t helping the situation, with this kind of self-talk.

God will tell you; come on, you got this My beloved and what you can’t do, I’ll do for you. God’s voice is a gentle whisper, a fleeting word in the deep recess of your mind, one you could almost ignore. The one you pretty well fob off on occasion, it’s so quiet and unobtrusive. It’s a voice of gentle reason and love, not harsh and condemning.

When you hear the ‘I can’t/you can’t,’ you can say; “Get lost hairy legs, you gnat. You’re smaller than a flea and I’m not listening.” Then go against your feelings and do what you know to be right. You’ll know what that is too, because the Holy Spirit will give you a nudge. That still small voice of God will lead you in the right direction.

When you die to self (i.e.: to your feelings), satan can’t work in you anymore. And that’s what Jesus wants from us, to die to self and follow Him. It’s in His power and His authority which He gave us, that all things are possible.

So, we give thanks today; for His sacrifice, for His blood, for His love, for His healing power, His courage, His strength, His comfort, His provision, His protection and we remember Him at this time, offering praise and thanksgiving. We do this also, while partaking of the Holy Communion. Eat. Drink. Praise God.

 

About the author:

Alexandra Grose – An investigative photojournalist and author for over twenty years. Writing is her passion and her dream and helping others achieve their dreams, through her written work, is Alexandra's greatest aspiration.

 

 

#Integrity; truthfulness, honesty and reliability, in all things.

I believe one should....be truthful in everything you say and do. Keep all relationships open and honest. Be reliable, punctual and organised and if you say you'll do it - do it.

If you want to soar like an eagle, make an effort, not an excuse.

 

alexandragrose@amazon.com

 

 

 

 

Back in the Day.

Back in the day, we went to visit the in-laws. Then it was a thirteen hour drive. Now, with improvements to the roads, it’s only about ten hours. At this time, I was a recently new believer.

For the well-seasoned Christion, you may remember when you first started going to church, every prayer seemed to get answered in a way you’d like to see it. I think that’s to encourage new believers that God’s real, that He hears you and that He does answer prayers. As you mature, you find you might have to wait, or you get a ‘no’ from God, but in those early days it seemed like everything I prayed for I received.

So, it was early days in my prayer life. We were heading back from my husband’s parents: John, myself and our two girls. I’d prayed for a safe trip. The roads weren’t as good then. Colossal trees touched almost right to the line of the bitumen, with no safe emergency stopping lanes and very few rest areas.

I remember an earlier period while in a Western Star truck, getting out of the semi. I had to exit from the driver’s side, because the trees were so close to the road, I couldn’t open the passenger side door.

It was still dark, 4 or 5 in the morning. My husband had spent the day unloading and re-loading the truck, then went straight into driving, heading back to Sydney, from Brisbane. Thankfully truck drivers aren’t allowed to work this way now, but that’s how it was in the 90’s. John was tired and needed a sleep, so he hopped in the bunk and the girls and I got out and went to the garage for an ice cream, just to give him half an hour.

There were two men across the road, waiting by the garage for a lift to work, I assumed. Wearing their reflective vests with lunch bags by their feet, they watched me get out of the driver’s side of a ‘big rig,’ lifting a baby in nappies and a toddler out of the truck as I went. The surprised look on their faces spoke volumes as to what they were thinking. I never enlightened them either, it wasn’t me driving, but I can just imagine the story they told at work that morning.

Anyway, back to my story: I was driving home. We were in the car this time. It was 2 in the morning and pitch black. No moon, or stars. I was doing the speed limit, which was 100k’s, when both headlights blew in the car at the same time. Headlights aren’t supposed to ‘blow’ together. They’re on two separate relays so that doesn’t happen, or so I’ve been told.

Thanks to those trees, right up to the road, there was nowhere to get off the road. I’m doing 100k’s and suddenly, I can’t see a thing. With John’s quick thinking and experience, he hit the four-way button, which gave me a little light, as I pulled up to a stop in the middle of the road.

There’s a semi coming towards us. I don’t know what the driver thought. He slowed a little, but he didn’t stop. God’s so good. As soon as the truck had gone passed, I looked to my right and there was a parking bay, right there where I’d stopped, out of all the places on that long stretch of mostly deserted road.

We turned into the bay, John replaced fuses and away we went. At that time, I remember asking God why both headlights blew, when I’d prayed for a safe trip. He showed me a vision (it was one of the first times I’d ever had a vision), of a truck coming around a bend on the wrong side of the road and I understood God was showing me, because both the headlights blew, we weren’t in the path of this truck and therefor missed a head on collision.

Praise God! I knew then, God will always keep me safe. That’s why, if we get turned around or delayed on a road trip, I don’t ever complain. You just never know what it’s saving you from.

 

About the author:

Alexandra Grose – An investigative photojournalist and author for over twenty years. Writing is her passion and her dream and helping others achieve their dreams, through her written work, is Alexandra's greatest aspiration.

 

 

#Integrity; truthfulness, honesty and reliability, in all things.

I believe one should....be truthful in everything you say and do. Keep all relationships open and honest. Be reliable, punctual and organised and if you say you'll do it - do it.

If you want to soar like an eagle, make an effort, not an excuse.

 

alexandragrose@amazon.com

 

 

 

Healing from Trauma

Healing from Trauma

Trauma is something negative which happens to us, that’s beyond our control. There are many and varied types of trauma. A traumatic experience can be felt as having happened just yesterday, although years may have passed. Even though many years may have passed, memories of a trauma can still bring tears to your eyes today.

Trauma comes in all types and sizes. Some are big, some small, some through physical trauma, some emotional. Some trauma comes through loved ones, some through loss. There is a myriad of ways for a person to feel the effects of trauma and each situation is unique to each person.

As a Christian, we can pray to release and remove trauma, not only from our own lives, but the lives of others also. We don’t have to be near the person, either. We can pray from wherever we are, even if we’re at a distance. We pray for the trauma to be removed, the shock to be removed and the Lord to come and heal the person.

There’s no time frame. Whether the trauma happened yesterday or thirty years ago, we can still pray for healing right at this moment.

For those of us who are old enough to remember 9/11 and the consistent barrage on the tv, over and over again from our living room, it’s still a vivid memory, even today. We all remember exactly where we were when that event took place and we remember it like it’s yesterday, even though it’s been over 20 years.

Children see death in their living rooms and in their bedrooms, as they connect to the internet. Some say we are desensitized to the trauma of death, but it’s still there, lingering and hidden in the dark recesses of our mind.

Demonic activity is very real to a child and very traumatic, as they dream dreams. Demonic activity can halt the child from pursuing the prophetic, as the fear they feel stops them from taking steps to develop in that area.

Even in the womb, a child may register trauma after another event, in which the trauma entered earlier in the piece, even before the child was conceived. For there is power, not only in the blood of Jesus, but also in our own DNA. Our genes carry trauma and it’s passed on to the baby within.

God said to Cain, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.” (Genesis 4:9) Blood speaks. The land cries out, after a traumatic battle, where people have been injured and killed. All creation is groaning, as it waits for us to walk in the dominion mandate that God’s called us to.

Often, we feel like a victim and we need to lose that victim mentality. We are to ‘loose’ certain things in our lives (... and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven Matt 18:18). Put on the armour of God and walk in victory. Is it easy? Not always. We all have trauma. And what’s easy for one person to get over, isn’t necessarily easy for the person standing beside them.

We grow in our difficulties. Difficulties aren’t always a bad thing, though none of us would wish for them. We grow through our difficulties, become more compassionate towards others and then we help others to grow through their difficulties.

Difficulties are a part of this fallen world and we all endure them, at some point in our lives. We learn to manage our difficulties and just as a child will fall many times when learning to walk, a fall doesn’t stop them trying. We too, have to keep trying to overcome our difficulties and not let them beat us.

If you’re unsure about a previous trauma, if you can’t quite remember where it came from, you can pray for clarity on the issue and pray for the trauma to be removed. You can speak to the body, that the body only receives that which will help.

Speak peace, not rejection, particularly when new organs and replacements parts have been introduced, through operations. The body has been through a trauma after having an operation, no matter how small the operation appears to be.

Illness is the same. It’s a trauma, an affront to the senses. If a heart attack has happened, you can pray to remove the trauma around that heart attack and around the body, after the heart attack.

If you’ve been betrayed, you can pray for removal of the trauma associated with the betrayal.

Also, whenever you grieve, allow yourself that time. God never said not to grieve, after all, Jesus wept when Lazarus died. Tears help release trauma and stop the build-up of toxins, which happen due to unresolved trauma. Allow yourself whatever time it takes to heal and don’t let anyone tell you, it’s time to get over it. We all grieve for different lengths of time and it’s not up to other people, to tell us how long we ‘should’ grieve.

Sometimes we make inner vows. You know the ones, the one’s where you say: "I’ll never do that,” or “I’ll never allow that to happen in my family.” These inner vows can at times be deeply rooted in culture, community and nation. If you find you can’t keep that inner vow, release yourself from it and the grief associated with it. Allow God to minister to your heart.

Criticism can be another area of trauma and it isn’t going to help the situation to criticize self or others. Don’t fall into criticism. Criticism is what’s known as ‘bad fruit.’ As Christians, we’re meant to display good fruit. Criticism isn’t one of these. Instead of falling into criticism, try to do the opposite. Show praise and love and watch where that takes you. Your own self talk, can help or hinder your situation.

If you’re feeling guilt and shame, release the guilt and the shame, and ask forgiveness. If you’ve done wrong, ask for forgiveness and accept that Jesus forgives us. We’re not to move into condemnation, for there is no condemnation in Christ (Romans 8:1), but to ask forgiveness, repent and let the offence go.

We all make mistakes in life. None of us are immune to them. There’s a difference between guilt and shame. Guilt acknowledges I made a mistake. Shame states; ‘I am a mistake.’

God never makes a mistake. You’re here because He chose you. If you’ve made a mistake, repent and ask His forgiveness. If you feel you are a mistake, read passages in the bible about how much He loves you, for He loves you enormously. He knows your faults and He loves you anyway. He also knows you want to be free of your faults and He will work with you on the matter.

We brand ourselves, often saying I’m too…… (weak, stupid, scared, poor, a failure, whatever it might be) and we need to remove those brands. If we can remember Jesus is our brand and through Jesus, anything is possible, we can let go of our pain.

Whenever you or anyone you know is in trauma, we as Christians can minister to people in a way the world can’t, because we have Jesus. If you don’t know what to do, or what to say to someone, refer them to someone who does. Don’t leave them standing alone in their pain. Bring them alongside someone who knows what to do.

Begin to look at life through the eyes of Jesus. He doesn’t see us as a failure, or weak, or in any way as negative. He sees us as loved, protected, valued, nurtured, cared for. He sees us as His victorious sons and daughters. If we keep our eyes on Jesus, if we remember we are His and through Him anything is possible, it gives us hope for a brighter future. As long as we keep working towards that future, we’ll see it come to pass.

God’s looking for people who say: “It stops with me,” particularly if the issue is generational. One thing the devil hates, is when we believe Jesus and come to the conclusion; we are not victims. We might have been once, but no more, because it stops here. We’ve been through the worst and survived. What happened in the past can’t hurt us any further. Not now, not ever. Allowed God to heal the trauma and become whole again.

God used broken people in the bible. He didn’t wait for the men and women of the bible to have it all together. Gideon was afraid. Moses had a speech problem. Elijah was suicidal. Samson, a flawed man, a man full of pride. Peter too, with his impetuous, quick temper. Rahab was a prostitute. Paul, a Christian killer and yet God used him mightily. Don’t think because you’re a broken person, you can’t help others. It starts with you, casting away the victim mentality and taking on the victorious nature of Christ.

Pray for yourself. Pray for others. Pray for resilience and restoration, for coping skills and clarity, for peace and not rejection. Pray for release and forgiveness, for no condemnation, for healing, cleansing and knowledge. Trust God in the process.

God can step through the window of healing at any time and heal past and present trauma. That’s what I love about God. You don’t have to wait until He’s free. You don’t have to make an appointment. Just pray. Invite Him into your pain. He won’t force His way. Invite God to come and set you free from the pain and trauma you’re feeling.

If you are praying for others, remember memories gather and congeal over time. Perhaps we should think about ministering to ourselves, after helping another through their trauma. If you feel you need it, talk to a close and trustworthy friend, or minister. Ask them to pray with you and for you, if you feel in any way, you can’t do this on your own. That’s what church is all about. Church is full of broken people, at various stages of mending and we all help one another. So get in that prayer line, if you think it will benefit. In fact, get in that prayer line anyway. You might just be surprised at what it can do for you.

*Biblical quotes from Holy Bible NJKV

 

About the author:

Alexandra Grose – An investigative photojournalist and author for over twenty years. Writing is her passion and her dream and helping others achieve their dreams, through her written work, is Alexandra's greatest aspiration.

 

 

#Integrity; truthfulness, honesty and reliability, in all things.

I believe one should....be truthful in everything you say and do. Keep all relationships open and honest. Be reliable, punctual and organised and if you say you'll do it - do it.

If you want to soar like an eagle, make an effort, not an excuse.

 

alexandragrose@amazon.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adversity: Bringing beauty from the ashes.

                                Adversity:

           Bringing beauty from the ashes.

Just as the waratah blooms more profusely after the adversity of fire, so too do our lives blossom, after going through the adversity of heartache and tragedy.

God gives us hope, help, peace, healing and freedom. He gives this to His precious and righteous people.

Some see God as a controllable God – if I do this, God will do that, until one realises, we can’t be good enough, can’t be careful enough. Until we realise, we need someone to arbitrate on our behalf.

WAIF: witness, advocate, intercessor, friend. This is the One who arbitrates for us.

We go from cognitive (understanding in our head), to obedience (even if we don’t see the results straight away), to knowledge of God (rooted deeply into our heart), but only if we stick it out in the hard times and not quit.

Calamity is not His plan for us, but because we live in a broken world, we will experience it and this is what brings the ashes into our lives.

Water mixed with ashes, becomes toxic (scientific fact – it causes a chemical reaction called lye, which is caustic). This is why we can’t sit in our ashes and cry. It’s detrimental to our health. God gives us the choice. He won’t over-ride our will to choose. We however, need to choose wisely for our own health, to reduce or remove the toxicity in our lives.

We can choose to sit in the ashes of our life, or we can choose to raise ourselves up and out of those ashes.

Those ashes cause us to be more compassionate. They teach us to forgive ourselves and others, to love ourselves and others. We grow through moments of unease and discouragement, as we learn to better deal with adversity. Ashes are important, in making us who we are, but we aren’t to stay in them.

In our woundedness we hurt others. We pursue healing, so we can heal and once we’ve healed, we can help others heal also.

Suffering is a necessary calling which helps develop in us, who we are destined to be. To move past our suffering, we need to invite Jesus into our pain and sorrow and proclaim the favour of God.

Precious is the man who perseveres during his trial, but sometimes there are parts of our heart that are closed to Jesus. This is why the bible says in Rev 3:20 “Behold I stand at the door and knock.” This is for the believer, so we can open the closed doors in our heart.

Allow God to administer to the jagged edges of the trauma and He will take those jagged edges and smooth them out, easing the pain and hurt in our life.

About the author:

Alexandra Grose – An investigative photojournalist and author for over twenty years. Writing is her passion and her dream and helping others achieve their dreams, through her written work, is Alexandra's greatest aspiration.

#Integrity; truthfulness, honesty and reliability, in all things.

I believe one should....be truthful in everything you say and do. Keep all relationships open and honest. Be reliable, punctual and organised and if you say you'll do it - do it.

If you want to soar like an eagle, make an effort, not an excuse.

alexandragrose@amazon.com