With thanks...

Dear Heavenly Father,

Another year has passed and I am reflecting back. As I pause I first think of all the wonderful things you have given me; life, health, family, friends, and employment. There are so many things I would like to thank you for. Most of all my faith!

I look back and I remember times where I felt I couldn’t make it and you helped me. Times where I was so devastated I thought of giving up but you encouraged me. Times where the darkness nearly consumed me but your smiling face lit my life. A time where my heart was so broken I didn’t think I could find all the pieces. But you sent Jesus; He held me and put the pieces back together. There were moments I was so lost I couldn’t find you, but you came and found me.

Father you have given me many gifts and you sent me to help others. I have watch people’s lives change this past year. I have defended them. I have stood face to face with Satan and I have watched evil run. I have witnessed countless demons being destroyed and light filling the eyes of many. I have watched souls that were lost in darkness find light within themselves. I have watched the weak in faith become strong. I have seen hopeless moments filled with love, understanding and hope was restored. All of this is not because of me but because of YOU!

My whole life I have pleaded with you that you would let me help you in some way so I could repay you for everything you have done for me. I’ll be honest Father when I gave you my free will I never thought it would be as it is. I never thought you would continually test my faith to the breaking point. I never thought I would see the things I have seen and live through every day. I never thought you would answer my prayer and let me come so close to you. I didn’t know you had such a wonderful sense of humor; you always make me laugh and bring a smile to my face.

YOU have made me who I am today. Because of all the things you have allowed me to see, experience and live through. Good and bad. And Father I would live through all of them again and not change one thing.

When I hear your voice YOU are beyond all my comprehension. The love I feel from you I can’t understand, the kindness you share I don’t fathom. The patience you have I will never understand. And every time I think I have figured you out you BLOW ME AWAY! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

The words “thank you” will never be enough. You really should have come up with more words for us to use because these just don’t do it for me…LOL! My life is yours and you can have it. HAPPY THANKSGIVING FATHER!!

Love,

Supplanter

Lost

Darkness surrounds us and all light disappears. A quiet feeling sweeps across the heart and we embrace fear. We look around trying to find our way out but we can’t see. We start to panic and soon we feel we are all alone. We panic as we run away from our lives trying to distance ourselves from the choices we made that brought us to the “realm” of the lives we find ourselves trapped in. Every day we run farther and farther away from the light not because we want to, but because we are lost!

There are no sign posts, no compasses because we can’t see them for we are blinded by the darkness. We can hear people around us talking, crying, screaming for help but they can’t help us because they are in the same place we are. Life is decisions. Good and bad.

Time passes as years fade away and our heart continues to break. Hopelessness sets in and we try to accept who we are and what we’ve become. But we can’t. We are not happy with who we are. Every day we are in agony, tormented by the demons that influence us. They grab a hold of our soul and drag us kicking and screaming farther into the darkness. They tell us we can never get out. We are all alone. And there is no hope!

In the blackness of our despair we hear a faint voice say, “You are not alone! I will find you! I will fight for you!” Suddenly a light shines so bright that we are blinded by the warmth of it. A peace fills our heart as we watch the darkness flee in fear. The demons run in terror as they are destroyed. Our eyes regain their sight as we look up and standing in front of us is the Lord Jesus, behind him are our brothers and sisters.

THEY HAVE FOUND US!

He reaches down and picks us up as we stand the chains that have bound us fall to the ground and we are free.

Jesus smiles and says, “Do you know that these who stand behind me have been praying for you? They made similar choices in their lives and I found them as well. YOU ARE NEVER ALONE! In the darkest of nights if one were to look up they would always see at least one star. That shining star is hope. That shining star is Me!”