Healing Tears

Sometimes the strongest healing ‘Balm of Gilead’ is when tears trail down our face. – Anon

Jesus wept. Hmm!

We’re told it’s a sign of weakness. We’re told it’s being overly emotional. We’re told a lot of things by people we don’t even really know, and often we buy into it. But there are some truths to life that are at times unexplainable. At times we cry and cry and can’t seem to stop. We think we ought to be ‘stronger than this’ or should be ‘beyond this point’. But in truth, it’s the way God made us. He knows our frame, and He has given us these great healing powers – tears. Yes, they heal. They have a therapeutic effect on our innermost self. The place where you can’t put a band-aid. Just as an oyster covers over a grain of sand with ‘nacre’ producing a beautiful pearl, our God-given tears soothe, cover, and heal deep hurts and pains. AND they lay a fertile covering that in time allows new life to spring up from that area again. God would not have given them to us if they weren’t useful!

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

"Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.” – Psalm 126:5

Weeping May Endure for A Night...

When you understand God is NEVER late, you wait differently. – Anon

Though it took some years and heartache, Joseph never gave up on the dreams God gave him. WOW!

No matter how blessed we are life does have its painful moments. Times of lament, grief, sorrow happen to us all. And the pain and heartache they cause makes us all very uncomfortable, so we try to rush through the process. But just like there is no ‘cutting corners’ with a good recipe, there is no rushing through the lamenting process, if we want complete healing. Though we may be in the midst of it, and others may not completely understand us like Job’s friends, God is always present. He is always ‘timely’ with us in every step of healing. And the One who will wipe away every tear (Rev. 21:4) will turn our mourning into dancing.

Until Monday…

Pastor Botts

“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.” – Romans 5:6

Health. Hope. Healing.

Health is a trust from God. - Anon

James' letter declares that 'the prayers of faith will make a sick person well.' Hmm!

Look at any burned out forest closely after a few weeks and you can spot them. Tiny little buds and sprigs of green. New growth occurring. Healing taking place. It's a slow but ongoing process. Our lives follow suit. When devastating, tragic events occur and seem to cover us in darkness, and deaden our senses, spirits, or emotions, God gets busy with new growth. He does so to give us hope and strength to hold on. All we need do is just look closely to see the evidence. An unexpected call from a friend offering reassurance and prayer, a long-forgotten memory recalled to lift our spirit, or even a new connection with someone we never thought we had anything in common with. These are all signs of God quietly asking us "Do you want to get well?" Well, do you? Look closely, healing is in abundance for God is at work.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." - Proverbs 16:24

You Can't Run Away

Your wound may not be your fault, but your healing is your responsibility. – Anon

Elijah tried to run away from it all, but God told him to go back and deal with life. Hmm!

The metaverse! Virtual reality games! Expensive trips to outer space…. all geared to give us time out of this present reality. Why, because whether we want to admit it or not life is an ‘interactive’ sport. Others around us – family, friends, acquaintances, etc. – do have a bearing on our well-being. And sometimes for better or worse their actions and our responses make impressions on our psyche that can have a negative, painful impact. That’s life, you can’t run from it. The question is what do we do after the fact? We can let them make us bitter, resentful, divisive, and angry OR we can seek the healing we need to help us grow. No matter the depth or ‘severity’ of the wound, God, The Great Physician; has a cure. As Jesus asked the man sitting by the pool some 38 years waiting to get in the water: do you want to get well? Well, do you? It’s not in running away from God’s design, it’s running to Him.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

"Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” – Psalm 139:7

The Power of Tears

Sometimes the strongest healing ‘Balm of Gilead’ is when tears trail down our face. – Anon

Jesus wept. Hmm!


We’re told it’s a sign of weakness. We’re told it’s being overly emotional. We’re told a lot of things by people we don’t even really know, and often we buy into it. But there are some truths to life that are at times unexplainable. At times we cry and cry and can’t seem to stop. We think we ought to be ‘stronger than this’ or should be ‘beyond this point’. But in truth, it’s the way God made us. He knows our frame, and He has given us these great healing powers – tears. Yes, they heal. They have a therapeutic effect on our innermost self. The place where you can’t put a band-aid. Just as an oyster covers over a grain of sand with ‘nacre’ producing a beautiful pearl, our god-given tears soothe, cover, and heal deep hurts and pains. AND they lay a fertile covering that in time allows new life to spring up from that area again. God would not have given them to us if they weren’t useful!


Until Monday…..


Pastor Botts


"Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.” – Psalm 126:5

New Growth Healing

Health is a trust from God. - Anon

James letter declares that 'the prayers of faith will make a sick person well.' Hmm!

Look at any burned out forest closely after a few weeks and you can spot them. Tiny little buds and sprigs of green. New growth occurring. Healing taking place. It's a slow but ongoing process. Our lives follow suit. When devastating, tragic events occur and seem to cover us in darkness, and deaden our senses, spirits, or emotions, God gets busy with new growth. He does so to give us hope and strength to hold on. All we need do is just look closely to see the evidence. An unexpected call from a friend offering reassurance and prayer, a long forgotten memory recalled to lift our spirit, or even a new connection with someone we never thought we had anything in common with. These are all signs of God quietly asking us "Do you want to get well?" Well, do you? Look closely, healing is in abundance for God is at work.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." - Proverbs 16:24

Ready to Heal

Health is a trust from God. - Anon

James letter declares that 'the prayers of faith will make a sick person well.' Hmm!

Look at any burned out forest are closely after a few weeks and you can spot them. Tiny little buds and sprigs of green. New growth occurring. Healing taking place. It's a slow but ongoing process. Our lives follow suit. When devastating, tragic events occur and seem to cover us in darkness, and deaden our senses, spirits, or emotions, God gets busy with new growth. He does so to give us hope and strength to hold on. All we need do is just look closely to see the evidence. An unexpected call from a friend offering reassurance and prayer, a long forgotten memory recalled to lift our spirit, or even a new connection with someone we never thought we had anything in common with. These are all signs of God quietly asking us "Do you want to get well?"  Well, do you? Look closely, healing is in abundance for God is at work.

Until tomorrow......

Pastor Botts

"Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." - Proverbs 16:24  

Reckless Words

When you argue with a fool, remember he thinks he’s doing the same. – Sparks

The moment Eve started ‘debating’ God’s word with Satan she lost, and eventually so did we. Thank God for redeeming love in Christ Jesus. It’s often been said “many an argument is sound – just that, SOUND!”

When you step back and think about it there is a lot of truth to that. Often if we’re not careful, we’ll find ourselves with raised voices and raised heart rates being argumentative to ‘prove’ our point, or case, or situation. But the best argument we could ever present for Christ and his church is not by our vocabulary but by how we live our life. It’s true that sometimes it’s hard to keep our words edifying, encouraging, and fragrant; however, Jesus said they will know we are his disciples by if we show “love for one another.”

Until Tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” – Proverbs 12:18

Mistakes

In life, try to fix the mistakes – not the blame! – Anon

Back in the original Garden of Eden, Adam blamed Eve; and we know what the end result of that was. Hmm!

It’s a guarantee that in your life today a problem will arise or a mistake will occur. They will not necessarily be yours but they will impact you. It’s called circumstances. Issues never arise for finger-pointing exercise, but for active responses like healing, helping, loving, forgiving, etc. Like Jesus’ response to the woman taken in adultery, God is expecting us to NOT do the ordinary and selfish but the extraordinary and life-giving. The key to it all is to remember that we too fall short sometimes and need a little grace.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each others burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” – Galatians 6:1-2