Dear Friends,
I want to thank you for all your prayers for me and my family during this difficult time. My cousin was diagnosed with breast cancer and there have been some other heavy things weighing on us. So it’s been a difficult holiday, but the Lord has been faithful. And He has been very near.
Your support, love, and encouragement has meant so much to me. I appreciate it more than you know.
A Word About My Friends
Over the past two weeks on my blog, I’ve been honoring some of my friends and introducing them and their work to my readers. If you haven’t had a chance to look at the 4 “friend-honoring” posts, please do so. (The direct links are posted at the bottom of this note.)
Friendships are VERY important to me. And I thank God for the many wonderful friends he has put in my life over the years, including the seven close friends I have honored on my blog recently — Tony & Felicity Dale; Milt Rodriguez & Alan Levine; Jon Zens & Leonard Sweet, and three others.
I am also thankful for each of you who have “friended” me on Facebook and have been so kind and gracious to encourage me in the journey.
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you (2 Thessalonians 3:16).
A Word and a Prayer About 2011
Recently, I’ve been arrested by the fact that life is so very short. Not long ago I had a very close friend pass away at a young age. And presently I have three friends who are stricken with serious sickness.
Since life is so short, let us use each day we have remaining on this earth to bring peace, joy, and encouragement in the lives of everyone we know.
The word I believe the Lord has given me and confirmed for this year is “peace.”
My prayer for 2011 is that God would use me to be a vessel to bring life, peace, freedom, comfort, and encouragement to everyone I come in contact with. That I would do no harm to any soul, that I would do nothing to add to their pain, that my speech and conduct would always lift-up and never tear-down, that I would always think the best of them, not judge their hearts, show compassion, and strive to be a peacemaker and live in peace with all people.
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:18).
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13).
As we start this new year, may you and I treat all of our sisters and brothers . . . and all people . . . the same exact way we would want to be treated if we were standing in their shoes . . . just as our Lord taught us. This is what it means to walk in love and to let Christ live in and through us. May God, by His blessed Holy Spirit, cause us to live-out The Forgotten Words of Jesus.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God (Matthew 5:9)
Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification (Romans 14:19).
Closing Words from Jim Elliot
I’ll close with the words of one of my heroes, Jim Elliot. Words that I deeply resonate with:
“I walked out to the hill just now. It is exalting, delicious. To stand embraced by the shadows of a friendly tree with the wind tugging at your coattail and the heavens hailing your heart, to gaze and glory and to give oneself again to God, what more could a man ask? Oh, the fullness, pleasure, sheer excitement of knowing God on earth. I care not if I never raise my voice again for Him, if only I may love Him, please Him.”
Here are my 4 “Lifting Up My Friends” posts. I hope you will read them all (each one is short):
Lifting Up My Friends: Part I – Tony & Felicity Dale
Lifting Up My Friends: Part II – Milt Rodriguez & Alan Levine
Lifting Up My Friends: Part III – Jon Zens
Lifting Up My Friends: Part IV – Leonard Sweet & Others
May the Lord Jesus Christ gain more for Himself in 2011! And may His face shine upon you and yours.
Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance (Jude 1:2).
I am nothing; He is Everything.
Your brother in the bonds of Calvary,
fv
Psalm 115:1
Lifting Up My Friends: Part IV
Such an important reminder to “walk in love and let Christ live in and through us.” Thank you. Your family has been in my prayers this week.
My prayers are always for my brother’s and sister’s in Christ. I believe Christ is very vocal about our unity in love, growing in His grace and resting (in) Him as our joy and peace! I am sorry to hear of those you have lost and those going through adversities. I pray they will be strengthened with God’s abounding love . Be encouraged 🙂
Frank, you are so right. Life is short and fragile. Reading your words I was reminded of the 39th Psalm: “O LORD, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am! Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath!” We are a death-denying, youth-worshipping culture who think that we “shall surely not die”. And so we need grace from above to be delivered from this mindset, which is why David prayed this prayer. It is only when God graciously answers that we see our need for the gospel, for the resurrection life of Christ and for one another. Somehow there is a correlation between our understanding of our mortality and our need for one another. This explains why the birthrate increase during wartime and why broken people have a greater capacity for love than unbroken ones. It also explains why Christianity fares better amongst the poor and why the church flourishes during times of persecution. Perhaps it also explains why Jesus said “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.” The miracle of the body of Christ is that it is a resurrected body, immune to death and lasting for all eternity. And so it makes sense to embrace this body and participate in it as a response to the revelation that life is short indeed. Tobie van der Westhuizen
Thinking about and praying for you and your family last night. Thank you for sharing the Lord with so many, and being true to what He has shown you, even in the difficult and painful times. My family cared for my grandmother as she suffered from cancer at a young age, so this post hits close to home. It’s hard to know what to say, other than you will be in my thoughts and prayers. Looking forward to the day when all disease, seperation and pain will be gone and we’ll be reconciled with the original plan for eternity.
a word that the Lord impresses deeper into my spirit every year is “honor.” May we all learn how to honor one another greater in thought, word and deed, thereby honoring our Lord. Happy New Year
Frank,
As easy as it is to think of those who – like yourself – share the truths of God via our modern forms of media as being above the fray; almost invulnerable to life’s pains, your simple honesty and transparency is a reminder to me to always lift you (and all those the Lord has put in my heart) up in prayer continuously. I hope His best for you and your loved ones throughout the new year.
Dear Frank – we have not yet met in person but the Lord has already used you as a vessel to bring life, peace, freedom, comfort, and encouragement to me personally and I thank the Lord for you whenever you come to mind.. I pray for comfort and strength during this time!
Love and Peace…. Gioia
I have been challenged by your writings and fresh perspective on Jesus Christ over the last couple of years. I am waiting on the Lord for direction as to how these revelations are going to play out in my life. I know he is with me always wherever I worship but will go where ever he calls me to go. Thank you for simply sharing Christ and not your own agendas.
Thanks, Frank. The message of Christ’s peace rings true in my heart. May it be so for both of us.
I am truly appreciating your openess and true faith shown through your life expressed to us. Life can be hard and painful. This past fall a neighbour and friend was murdered in her own home and the perpetrator is still at large and unknown. First asking why God……and now knowing He suffers with us in this painful circumstance and will bring glory out of it. Thank you for coming into our lives via Milt and Alan coming to Ontario.
I know the challenges you are going through, Frank. I took experienced a loss of someone at a young age this past year – and through her passing, God really used that to show me the importance of what you speak of in this post. I am encouraged by your faith and devotion during this time of pain – and know I have said a prayer for you and your family. I have prayed that peace, no matter what happens, be in all your hearts.
And thank you for sharing your heart – I truly appreciate and value everything you write and share.
Thanks Marni. That means a lot. You are a blessing.