And GOD Said, "So, I Will Be..."

[caption id="attachment_2638" align="alignleft" width="300"] My FATHER's Adopted Child[/caption]

Yesterday, we ended pretty much with Joshua feeling afraid and overwhelmed because he had to take over the job that Moses used to do. Have you ever felt like we left Joshua feeling yesterday; you know, like you could not do the hard job that had been handed to you to do?  I have been in such circumstances and I fairly ran from the task, and vehemently vowed that I did not want the job! That happened to me on more than one occasion.

But, let me tell you something. No matter how hard you run away from something, if GOD has determined that you will do a thing, you will do it. You might have to have a few "Jonah in the belly of the whale days," but you will do the job.

Allow me to give you a brief case-in-point. When my husband first became a preacher, I fought the idea, tooth, and nail. I remember saying, "He was not a preacher when I married him and if he had been I wouldn't have married him. It's just that simple." Ha! Ha! How young, foolish, and innocent about life I was. But, when life got through with me, I went along with him and threw myself into the job, calling on GOD the whole time and reminding HIM that I had not wanted to do the job and reminding HIM all the while that I was now willing, but that I didn't know how to do the job. I asked HIM to be with me, order my steps, and guide my heart and my tongue. And, just like HE was with Joshua, HE has been with me all of these years.

When you have been a preacher's wife for as long as I have, you get pretty much used to the vagaries of life. My walk with the LORD has taught me that GOD will be with you if you are HIS child. HE will give you the know-how to find out how to do whatever it is that comes to your hand to do. I learned a long time ago to give it all over to GOD and then step on. Why was I so resolute in stepping on? That is an easy question. I told you earlier that I had spent some time in the whale's belly like Jonah, and I never want to have to do that again. So, if GOD gives little Alma a job, it is going to be done prayerfully to the best of my ability! Case closed!

And Wouldn't You Know It

Just when you think you have gotten everything together as far this living down here thing is concerned, up crops a pandemic by the name of Covid-19. And this thing seemed for a while, because it was so new, to be able to stay ahead of the doctors and scientists. That pandemic got the world's attention, didn't it? Uhm, hmm, but as I take a good look at it, I realize that this pandemic has caused hatred to lessen considerably, caused men to reach for GOD with alacrity, caused church attendance to grow by leaps and bounds, etc.

But

I have learned that if the LORD says, "As I was with the children of Israel, so I will be with you," HE tells us that because HE has adopted us as HIS sons and daughters (HIS children), spiritual Israel. So, when I read about the love that GOD has for Israel, I rejoice because I know that HE has that possessive, jealous, loving, and protective love for me, too! My heart swells with the knowledge of HIS love and not, Covid-19, racism, envy, or whatever problems may crop up can tear me out of HIS arms.

What those problems do, is remind me WHO I am serving and make me feel pity for the ones who may be causing some of my trouble because I know that "belly-of-the-whale-time" is coming for somebody, and it's not going to be me. Been there, done that, and learned my lesson well enough that it will last me the rest of my life!

So, when life turns up the heat, I remind GOD and myself that I am in HIS hands, and I step on like the little soldier that HE trained in the belly of the whale so many years ago. Now, you might be thinking, "You don't have to remind GOD that you are HIS child," and you are right, but by doing that, I am telling HIM that another present situation(s) is frightening to me. I am telling HIM, "I will continue the work that YOU have set out for me to do, but please make my enemies be at peace with me, and/or move the kinks out of my particular situation(s)."

Yes, Y'all, that is another way of saying to HIM, "FATHER, this is too big for me! I am in trouble because I was working so hard for you, and now, I am scared. Uh oh! I am on the run, LORD, and am diving for YOUR pinions, so please watch my back because I am flat out running for all I am worth! And uh, LORD, I will be shaking and shaken when I get to YOU...

Wrap-Up

Remember the congregation that I told you that I was afraid to go to with my husband, well, we stayed there for over 26 years, not by our doing but GOD's. We stayed until it was time for us to go. And GOD carried us all of the way. I gave you a snippet out of my life to bring home to you the fact that if you are GOD's child, not to worry about the Covid-19 pandemic whose numbers are on the rise in some states. Don't worry about that, nor anything else. Here is what you do:

• Just get as close to GOD as you can, keep praying, and trusting in HIS knowledge of you and HIS attention to detail about you (hairs on your head are numbered, remember...)


• Go back and read the life of Joseph, Moses, and Joshua among many others.

And you, my friend, will find yourself smiling behind your Covid-19 mask and humming a tune. Why..., because you are one of the details that GOD cares about. Have you ever thought about the fact that your FATHER, GOD controls

1. Earthquakes


2. Tsunamis


3. Volcanoes


4. Hail


5. The fountains of the deep and too much other to mention


6. And HE is your FRIEND...your FATHER?

So what do you have to worry about? Nothing, because HE, WHO, has all of that power is your FRIEND!

Blessed to awake to the dawn of a new day

And I just don't know what this day may bring

But, I have learned that as long as

YOU hold my hand

That I don't have to worry about anything.

But, YOU know what, FATHER,

I trust YOU and YOUR plans for me

Because YOU have carried me all of these years

And I trust you to navigate the circumstances

Of my life, to get me home to YOU for eternity.©

********

 

So, you, fellowman, repay GOD for HIS love, and friendship to you by stepping on, brave soldier, in HIS name. And remember, HE sees, HE knows, and HE cares about you. Be safe.

 

So I Will Be

[caption id="attachment_3720" align="aligncenter" width="300"] I will be with you.[/caption]

Y'all, I was able to garner another strong lesson of love from my walk through my Bible reading this morning. I am excited to present it to you. You might not get excited about it, and that is fine; I just hope that it gives you another positive thought to hold on to in these trying times.

Let's start by reading the scripture below.

Joshua 1 King James Version (KJV)

1 Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord it came to pass, that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying,

² Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.

³ Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.

⁴ From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.

⁵ There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

⁶ Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.

⁷ Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.

⁸ This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

⁹ Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

The love that GOD has for HIS children comes through bright and shiny in the verses above. Y'all already know how it makes me feel when I get a fresh reminder of GOD's love. I can understand how overwhelmed Joshua felt because I have walked in shoes such as his (though not as grand), and I was just as afraid.

We see that in verse 1-5, GOD addresses Joshua and informs him of the death of Moses and tells him that the job of leading Israel across the Jordan is his now. HE also tells him in verse 5 that HE will be with him just as HE was with Moses.

We can surmise that Joshua was afraid of such a big task because the LORD told him in the next two verses (6 & 7)  not to be afraid. And then, in verse 9, GOD told Joshua in stronger words to stop being afraid. HE tells him that he is bound to be successful at the job that he is being given if he does as GOD told him to do. Why was he bound to be successful, easy because GOD gave him the task and nothing and nobody can stop a thing that GOD has planned. Do you know what verse nine makes me think? It makes me think, "Bless Joshua's heart," but most of all, it makes me think, "Thank GOD for understanding." That warms me all over, and you know why? Well, the ALMIGHTY GOD WHO can do any and all things takes a special part of the lovingkindness that HE is known for and applies it in detail in dealing with Joshua. It warms your heart, doesn't it? Uhm, hmm, sure it does.

Driving My Point Home to You

There are or may be times in our lives that we feel like Joshua did concerning a task that we have been charged with. With the possibility that in these Covid-19 times, we may suffer the loss of a loved one or treasured mentor, we have to remember that like GOD told Joshua, HE will be with us because HE made our life plan and HE knew about Covid-19 and anything else that might come our way. I never will forget how I felt when I lost an elderly Christian lady that I lived next door to, later my Momma, and then after that, an elderly lady that I called Gran Gran. All of these ladies had been instrumental in helping to develop the core Christian values and training that my Momma had instilled in me. But, I realize that it was not by chance that I was placed in my Momma's home through birth, nor was it chance that two strong Christian ladies took me under their wings.

Now, I just told you about losing a dear mentor or loved one and how that felt, well, now I am going to tell you how it felt to have a monumental task to do and not have those treasured vessels of knowledge to turn to. That is the way that I felt when my husband took on a particular new church work. I had just lost the Christian lady that I lived next door to and was so close to. But, I still had my Momma. I lost her 9 years later, and I was devastated. You see, there are things that you can tell your Momma and they never even get whispered again.

But, I kept remembering the things that I had been taught to do, but that did not seem to be enough. So, the LORD had another strong Christian lady to step into my life. I called her the grandmother that I never had and she was a jewel to me. We talked on the telephone every day, just as I used to do with my Momma. When I lost her, I was sort of lost. But, I can tell you that just as HE was with Joshua, GOD brought me through that tough time. He did not give me another Christian lady to shepherd me on because by then I had been taught to tell HIM everything. I now can look back and see that it was not by chance that my Momma and the Christian women in my life left me when they did; I realize that it was time for me to get on with the work that I was born to do. Yep, that is mindboggling a bit at first, but nonetheless, it's true. It's amazing the things that you can look back and see through the eyes of reason. (Well, we are way over a thousand words, so I will conclude this tomorrow if it is GOD's will.) Be safe.

 

Walking by faith,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

 

This Too

Keep believing
Keep forgiving
Keep hoping
Keep praying
Keep loving
For untoward things shall pass away
It's just a matter of time

For, as I live each day

My corpuscles age and say

It's just a matter of time

Until, in victory, one day

They say, "It was just a matter

A matter of time..."©

********

 

The poem above can mean many things to many people, but the message it is meant to convey is to get or set all things right in your life and keep them that way because if you do, your preparations will be laid and made for your blessings, either here or there. Be blessed.

Note: What, pray tell, have you told your child or anybody else, about GOD this day?

 

Walking by faith,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

Days of Wrestling

[caption id="attachment_4153" align="alignleft" width="300"] But, until that time, I will love others like myself and wear my mask. It's just that simple.[/caption]

 

 

 

 

 

When my days of wrestling

With the likes of Covid-19 and whatever else

Have been deemed enough

And the chariot of GOD

Says to me, "We have come for you,"

With wonder, I'm sure

I'll take that appointed ride

And we will soar toward the glory of the other side

And I, with everlasting joy

Will, with my FATHER, get to reside.

That's the way I imagine it will be

When I've said my last goodbye to

My loved ones and the rest of you.

And I ask you not to weep for me

But, instead, say a nice word

To my family that I will have left behind

In short, instead of tears for me

Celebrate my homegoing by being kind.

And I will keep a periodic lookout

From heaven's mighty door

When I hear the heralds proclaim

New arrivals to Heaven's shore

For, I hope to see you again

And I will, if you continue to live

According to HIS name.©

********

 

Walking by faith,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

 

Somebody Said (Finale)

So, your blessings in the pandemic...

• You have been forced to pull GOD from the fringes of your mind and put HIM front and center, haven't you? Uhm hmm.


• You have been praying a lot more, now, haven't you? Uhm hmm. How do I know, easy, I have been praying more, too.


• With so many deaths, you have been trying to make sure that your soul is ready. In other words, some of the things that you, perhaps had been doing that you knew went against the laws of GOD (those things that you heard the preacher preach against or that you learned in Bible school as a child)


• You have had to take time and deal with your children more, especially when they asked what the pandemic is and where it came from... And you have realized that, though life might be tough right now, if something were to happen to you, it would go hard for them in this mean old world. And you petition GOD for long life so that you can see them raised and successful.

Yes, the pandemic has brought you closer to the LORD, hasn't it? Even if you did not know the LORD, you started to seek HIM, didn't you? Yeah, I know you did. And since the pandemic drove you closer to GOD, both you and your children will think about HIM more than ever. My, my, my, think about it. That child that GOD blessed you with...you have instilled a curiosity in him or a stronger need to understand. That is what you have done with that little person that GOD gave you to train. Wow!

When you look at Deuteronomy 11, you will notice verses 13 and 21. But before we deal with them, I want you to read verses 26, 27, and 28 below:

Deuteronomy 11:26, 27, 28 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

 

²⁶ “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse:

²⁷ the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I am commanding you today;

²⁸ and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way which I am commanding you today, by following other gods which you have not known.

And now you know... You might be thinking, "Know what?" You now know that the way you live will cause you to be blessed or not. If you want those tailor-made blessings crafted just for you, then you must live your life in a way that gets GOD's attention. "Say what?!" somebody just thought. Well, it's like this, you already know that GOD pays attention to details (even numbering hairs on your head). So, if you, HIS creation, start thinking about HIM more and talking about HIM more, don't you know that the GOD whose eyes rove to and fro over the earth, knows of your new desire and penchant to get closer to HIM? Of course, HE does (thoughts and intents of the heart), and HE welcomes you under HIS pinions (wings).

The Bible says that GOD knows those whose hearts are HIS. And as such, HE will do for you as verses 26, 27, and 28 say in the positive way (bless). However, if you do the opposite of placing HIM front and center in your heart and soul, then HE will allow trouble, heartache, and misery to take up a permanent place in your life. It's all there in verses 26-28.

Now I want to leave you pondering on three more verses from Chapter 11. Read below:

 

Deuteronomy 11:13, 14 and 21 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

¹³ “It shall come about, if you listen obediently to my commandments which I am commanding you today, to love the Lord your God and to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul,

¹⁴ that ^[i]He will give the rain for your land in its season, the ^[j]early and ^[k]late rain, that you may gather in your grain and your new wine and your oil.

²¹ so that your days and the days of your sons may be multiplied on the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give them, as ^[q]long as the heavens remain above the earth.

I take that passage to mean that HE will bless your family now and in generations to come with HIS favor, as long as they remain faithful to HIM. Wow! Isn't that amazing?! This old pandemic, or rather, your reactions to it can cause your family to be blessed for generations to come. Did you hear me? That means that your family can be blessed for several lifetimes because of something that you started and continued with your children. Umph, umph, umph, dead and gone and still blessing your babies and their babies and their babies' babies...

You see, I told you that you would get a blessing from this blog today. What a blessing the fruit I picked out turned out to be for both you and me.

Driving My Point Home

I get goosebumps just thinking that the teaching that my Momma gave me caused me to be blessed, my family to be blessed, and you and yours, too. Now, I am wondering again. You see, my Momma told me before she dies that I would become a successful writer. Well, I'm wondering how much she knew. I mean, did she have any inkling about the inspirational writing that would become my forte, and did she know about Covid-19, and, and, and...

 

YOU guided me past being incredulous

To seeing what was magnificent and true

YOU guided me LORD GOD

Until I could, with awe and wonder

See YOU!©

********

 

One last thing to you, that baby of yours might be destined to walk in a mighty way for the LORD GOD, so train him/her well because it might be one of your children one day who will be the somebody that said:

 

HE is awesome, HE is magnificent

HE is worthy to be praised

And I'm going to talk about HIM

For the rest of my days.©

********

 

I know that I gave you some powerful things to think about, but just remember the healing and encouraging things that I write are not me, but the glory of GOD shining through me. Be safe.

 

Walking by faith,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

 

Note - I heard on the news about a dust storm, the like of which has not been for over 50 years. This dust storm started in Africa in the Sahara Desert and has already crossed the Atlantic Ocean to reach the Caribbean and us, too. And yeah, you know me, I'm already in the grips of wondering. I'll let you know what I think in our next blogging session, so come on back and step with me as we continue our walk of faith in our GOD. See you next time, if it is the LORD's will.

 

 

Somebody Said

Good Morning, Y'all! You remember that I told you that my mouth was agape from the fruit that I gathered from Deuteronomy when I read Chapter 8, verses 2, and 16-18 a couple of blogs back. And I cherish the blog that I was able to glean from those verses. I am still feeding on the lesson from them, so you know that I was shocked and awed when I was given another soul-stirring blog from another chapter in Deuteronomy. This time it came from Chapter 11, verses 18-19 and 26-28.

I am going to take my time as I try to make several applications from the fruit that I gathered this morning. I can tell you one thing, Y'all; my soul is exulting from the application I got from my reading today and I pray that your soul will burn within and continue to burn with reassurance long after this blog has gone cold.

Are Y'all ready? Okay, here we go! Somebody on the news said that the pandemic now is like it was when New York and Washington were being hit so hard. And I thought to myself, "Oh, no! I thought that we were on the backside of this thing!" But, instead to hear that there are several states where there is little room left in the ICU units is truly disheartening.

And right behind that thought came the one that said, "LORD, that means that the death total is going to skyrocket even more than the alarming rate that it did at the start of the first wave!" BUT, I had to remind myself and you, too, of some points of reference.

1. Before most of us ever heard the word pandemic to know the horror that it brings, GOD took care of us. Yep, you heard me. I mean, what do you think that GOD is going to do? Run scared because this thing is so frightful?! I don't even think so!


2. GOD (our GOD) is ALMIGHTY and nothing, absolutely nothing can happen to you without HIS say so. (Job 2:6)


3. So, that means that there has to be a blessing in this pandemic for us. I know, I know, I can hear you exclaim, "Are you nuts?!" And I answer, "No, I'm not." I mean, think about it; when the plagues hit Ancient Egypt, GOD only allowed it to go so far. HE stopped it in HIS good time.


4. Now, that I have shocked you enough to have your full attention, read verses 18 and 19 below:
   
   
   

   Deuteronomy 11:18-19 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

   
   ¹⁸ “You shall therefore impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.¹⁹ You shall teach them to your sons, talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up.

This Covid-19 pandemic is not something that you are ever likely to forget, right? And since you have to explain to your children the reason that they cannot move about as freely as they might like to or used to, this would be a good time to do as GOD told the Israelites to do and teach your children about the powerful GOD that created this whole world. You see, depending upon how you present HIM to them (your children) makes a difference in how they view HIM and HIS being involved in their lives in the future.  Your children can be taught that, no matter what else fails, they can always count on GOD to work things out for their good. (Romans 8:28) Not saying that all things that happen to them will be good but saying that GOD will navigate the circumstances of their lives so that all things work out for their good as they did for the young lad, Joseph, in the Bible. ( to be continued tomorrow if the LORD wills  when we will learn about the possible blessing for you in this ...)

 

Walking by faith,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

 

 

What Does HE Require

[caption id="attachment_2921" align="alignleft" width="300"] Take It to GOD in Prayer as You Continue on Your Way Home.[/caption]

Deuteronomy 10:12 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

¹² “Now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require from you, but to ^[a]fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul,

 

As insignificant as I am

There is something that GOD

Requires of me

For HIS eyes rove to and fro

Over the earth

And HE knows what I think

And hears what I pray

And sees me wherever I go.

Yet, there are times that life

Can put me in dire straits

And I think to myself. "Well

When the LORD does get to me

This may be the time that

HE may be too late."

Y'all know how sometimes something

Can jump up, out of the blue

And before you know it, trouble

Has taken over your world so fast

That you want to say, "Wait a minute

Where did this come from and is

My FATHER; oh, where did HE go?"

Then you might think as the Psalmist did

"Woe is me, I am undone,"

Because this particular trouble

Is one I cannot outrun.

Yeah, it could be a terminal illness,

Heartache or the death of a loved one

And you know for a fact that

This bout of trouble is a

Gamechanger for sure

Because, for all of your trust in GOD,

You have been hit with something

That you cannot endure.

You might feel like you are the

Detail that was forgotten about today

Because you know that if GOD had been

Looking, this trouble couldn't and wouldn't dare

To even have come your way.

And then, when you get to where

It is quiet,  you try not to even think about prayer

Because you know that your life is broken

And that there can be no repair

But the voice of faith and lovingkindness

Says to you, "This world is not my home

For one is being prepared where there

Will be no more goodbyes, sickness or pain

And to get there, all I have to do

Is faithful to GOD remain."

And you, insignificant detail that you are

Redetermine to "Serve the LORD GOD

Will all your heart and all your soul,"

Because simply put, Heaven is your goal.

 

This is not the way that I intended for this blog to go today, but sometimes, it does what it will! This poem follows up from yesterday's blog dealing with diamonds and pressure.

Surprise for you?

Me, too

Who knew?

Our FATHER

That's WHO!©

********

 

Apparemtly there is someone among my readership who needed to hear this today. May GOD bless you, heal you, and keep you.

 

Walking by faith,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

 

 

Humbled by the LORD

[caption id="attachment_4514" align="alignleft" width="300"] It is not I and what I can do But the love of GOD shining through![/caption]

Deuteronomy 8:2, 16 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

 ² You shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.

 ¹⁶ In the wilderness He fed you manna which your fathers did not know, that 'He might humble you and that He might test you, to do good for you in the end.' (We will come back to these last words in verse 16 further down in this blog.) (I used bold print and bright green lettering at the end of the verse as a reminder to hold on to those words because they remind you that, "As long as grass grows green from season to season, GOD is still in control." By now, Y'all know that my phrase for this is, "Paint it green and keep on stepping." [Note - The bright green and the underlining is not a part of the NASB text.]

 

One Day You Might Be the 1st Person in this Poem

Now I understand the tired but victorious look

That I have seen on the visage of some soldiers

That have been on the battlefield for quite a while

And if you ask them about the triumphant smile

That they wear

They will tell that Being humbled and loved by

GOD put that smile there.

Then they might say to you,

"No matter where you go and what you do

Always hold on to your trust and faith in GOD

Because HE allows trials to come our way

To see if we will be steadfast under the pressure

And always remember that a shiny, brilliant

Diamond that glistens so

Used to be carbon, but the pressure and heat

Of the earth transformed it and the resulting

Brilliance is what you now see.

You can be like a diamond that glistens

Wherever it goes

For the pressuring and forming process that

It has gone through, makes sure that that

Diamond sparkles and glows.©

********

This morning, when I thought that I would take a quick hike through Deuteronomy's terrain, I had no idea that I would get sidetracked in Chapter 8, verse two, and completely stopped at verse 16.

Now, Y'all know that any time you talk about the lovingkindness that GOD has for man, I have to stop, smell the aroma of that fruit (verse) and taste the sweetness of its nectar. So, when I got to verse 16, I stopped and decided to hang my hat on the last words of that verse. And when I read verses 17 & 18, I received strength in my own journey concerning the heat and pressure that I have been laboring under.

Deuteronomy 8:17-18 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

¹⁷ Otherwise, you may say in your heart, ‘My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.’ ¹⁸ But you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

You see, those verses say to me, as they should to you, that GOD is telling us and teaching us, too, by letting us know that all that has been done to us was to humble us. It was done to make us aware of the fact that by HIS hand, we will be blessed. HE humbled us so that we won't get the bighead and think, "Look at what I have accomplished!"

Yes, yes, after our sojourn with the heated pressure of trouble, we will shine with the brilliance of the first-hand knowledge of GOD's tender care and provision. And we will go forth shining brilliantly like the diamonds that we will have become with the victorious assurance that, "in the end," I said, "in the end," GOD worked HIS plan that HE made (before we were born) for our good.

And you know what, Y'all

We will go forth to tell all

People that we meet

"This smile that you see

On my careworn face

Is a smile of great victory

Because I've learned first-hand

Of HIS attention to detail and

Of HIS intricate lovingkindness

That HE has built into the plan

HE made for me!

And one thing more

I know the wattage of my smile is bright

But I can't tone it down

Even if I might

I, I, I, I am a soldier whose

Armour is gleaming with the bright

Clear knowledge of GOD's love

And of having been tutored by HIM

The GOD, WHO dwells in Heaven, above!

And now, you know what I know

That the love of GOD ALMIGHTY

Can carry you through any terrain

Over which you may go

And that's why I tell Y'all

Every now and again or so

That I'm honored and blessed to be

Spiritual Israel, don't you know

So, don't hate me for my smile

And its brilliant glow

For it is a permanent part of me

And goes wherever I go!©

********

 

Walking by faith,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

 

 

My Momma's GOD

Exodus 15:2 & 11 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

² “The Lord is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation;
This is my God, and I will praise Him;
My father’s God, and I will extol Him.

¹¹ “Who is like You among the gods, O Lord?
Who is like You, majestic in holiness,
Awesome in praises, working wonders?

 

 

GOD Knows

Thanking GOD for no loss of life in the earthquake

When the ground in Oklahoma, once again

The LORD did shake

Thanking GOD for the blessings of each day

As we anticipate the time when the

Corona virus will have gone away.

Thanking GOD for HIS blessing of answered prayer

And thanking GOD for prayer warriors

Who have joined with the rest of us in sending

Prayer requests  to GOD up there

And thanking GOD for HIS letting us know

That about our situation, HE is always aware.©

(Based on Exodus 15:2 & 11.)

********

 

Walking by faith,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

Long Hot Summer

When I see people do things that are counter-productive to peace, it makes me wonder why? And too, when I see people do things that cause the wounds of suffering to be reopened, I wonder why?

"But, you wonder a lot anyway."

Is what some of you might think or say

And while that may be true

It still causes me to wonder about

Some of the things that I see people do.

I mean just because today is yours

To command folks who work under you

Is no reason to lord it over them because

You are but a detail like the rest of us

Who the LORD GOD can move down any day

And then like the Egyptians of old

What will you answer when you

Have lost your power hold

And most or all of your gold?

And likewise to folks who've been done wrong

Why choose to hold on to hurts generations-long

Why not give it to the LORD GOD to heal

You of the pain and hurt that you feel

Because all of us have things that

We did not always get right.

Yes, I know the fresher the hurt, the more

Justified and tired you feel about a sore

That aggressors will not allow to heal

Because old wounds are dug in anew

Sometimes it seems, and it makes you

Want to throw caution to the winds

And say, "Never again!"

Yes, there are things that I wonder about

But, GOD has had me learn that forgiveness

Is necessary as Jesus taught us on the cross

As we keep living for GOD  so that our

Souls will not be lost.

Yes, I wonder why Tulsa and why now

But, I keep right on praying anyhow

Though it makes me sad because I know

That we have a long hot summer ahead

And I wonder how many more and what else

Will be counted among the dead?

Asking forgiveness and forgiving are

Necessary tools of the Christian trade

But, prayer warriors we are going to

Have to be busier than ever because

When feelings and tempers run as hot

As the temperatures of our summer season

Sometimes folks are devoid of reason.

Provocation and justification, both, need

The blood of JESUS to cleanse the stains

And the hurt of sin that remains.

And yes, some wrongs cannot be rectified

Just as some feel that they are justified

In doing whatever they want to do

But I stand to remind all of you

We are a superpower in the world because

That is what GOD has decreed

But, that status can be taken away

If we do not watch our actions indeed.

Yes, I know that this may not go down

Well with some and be met with a frown

But, I have a duty to GOD and to you to say

"Let's all cherish this democracy that GOD

Has let be known as the U.S.A."

And remember that all of us are going

To go home one day...

And too, the angels of GOD walk the land.©

********

 

Oh, did anybody remember Covid-19 and the reason

That it may be set to run amuck this summer season

If the LORD doesn't intervene, so

Prayer warriors, let's keep sending up prayers

For peace, love, and healing to come to all the world's lands

And for the U.S.A. to shine its light of peace

Leadership and freedom for our fellowman.©

********

 

I apologize to my regular blog readers for the political tone of this blog, but this, I felt, needed to be said. I just wish that I had the leaders as a captive audience and that I could be heard with my words reaching past hurt, pain, righteous indignation, by right of birth, etc. to say, "Stop it, Y'all;  Handwriting! Handwriting! Handwriting on the wall!" Be safe.

 

Walking by faith

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

I Often Wondered

Sometimes, you can have an answer to a prayer or something thing that you wondered about, come to light in a moment that is so piercingly sweet that it leaves you gasping with awe and resplendent with wonder. And all you can say is, "When angels of GOD walk the land." Praise GOD!

 

When angels of GOD walk the land

Things happen that cause you to wonder

And other things happen that cause you to gasp

But all of these things cause you to be glad

That you belong to GOD because you know

That HE will take care of you, whatever

Monumental things happen, whether good or bad.©

********

Hold on to this thought, "Wonder what will be the big news when my deliverance comes through?"

 

Walking by faith,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

Attention to Detail

We talked about the LORD GOD's attention to detail, and I wrote a snippet of a poem about it today. I hope it blesses you in your walk today and always.

 

Dear GOD, I am grateful for YOUR

Particular attention to detail

And glad that YOU apply that attention

In lovingkindness to me as well.

In this world of men, as insignificant as I'm deemed

I like knowing that YOU hold me in higher esteem

Than to my fellowman, at first, it seemed

And it is with gratitude that I exclaim

About the mercy wrapped in lovingkindness

That I found while working under

The auspices of  YOUR name.

Yes, LORD, GOD, I reside within the details

Of YOUR great creation and I want the world to know

About YOUR lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness

So much so, that I tell it everywhere I go

And I am not ashamed nor afraid to extol

YOUR awesomeness, omnipotence, and omniscience

To my peers as I continue to reach for the

Shores of heaven, which is my life's goal.©

********

 

And the last thing that I want to say to you is for you to always do what you can in the service of GOD, no matter what situation you might find yourself in. Why? Well, you might be an insignificant detail that the LORD plans to use in some way; I mean, who would have thought that I would be penning a blog and writing books about GOD to include HIS care for us in this pandemic? I never did think it, and that is why I always say to do what you can while you can because you never know whose life you may touch or what plans the LORD GOD has for you. Y'all be prayerful, prudent in wearing your masks, and vigilant and grateful for the work that your hands have been given to do.

GOD sees us all and knows every tear we shed, every smile we have, as well as every sigh we gasp out because those are details, and HE is ever mindful of us. (Hairs of your head are numbered, remember? Uhm hmm, but have you ever wondered what else is written in HIS plan book for our lives, as individuals? Well, Y'all know me, I do wonder about things from time to time...) But it doesn't matter; HE loves me, and that is all I need to know. I'm going to say this one more time, "Everything is going to be all right."

 

Walking by faith,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

Meanwhile: "Got" Haters - Don't Worry About It

I didn't put a final cap on yesterday's blog to my satisfaction, so I will wrap it up with some quick words today. The word, "meanwhile," refers to the time being, in the interim,  etc. Take a look at verse 36 of Genesis 37 and verses 2-4 of chapter 39.

Genesis 37:36 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

³⁶ Meanwhile, the Midianites sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, Pharaoh’s officer, the captain of the bodyguard.

Genesis 39:2-4 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

² The Lord was with Joseph, so he became a successful man. And he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian. ³ Now his master saw that the Lord was with him and how the Lord caused all that he did to prosper in his hand. ⁴ So Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal servant, and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he owned he put in his charge.

But that was not all. You have already read what else GOD had in store for Joseph. I just wanted to give you pause to think about the word, "meanwhile" with regard to GOD's plan for you and with regard to your actions during your longlasting, extraordinarily adverse times. What do your actions say about your faith in GOD?

The word, "meanwhile," concerning GOD, means that HE is ever working things out for our good according to the plan HE made for our lives before we were born.

So, meanwhile, with reference to us should mean that we continue in prayer, thanksgiving and praise for and to GOD for all the world to see. Why, because you already know how GOD rewards the faithful. And you cannot beat HIM giving.

One last thing, look at your haters, whether man or things orchestrated by men, or vagaries of life, as avenues to blessings according to GOD's promise. And yes, that means Covid-19, hard economic times, hatred, forest fires, floods, earthquakes, etc. as working together for your good as you let your light shine and shine and shine! Now, say it with me, "GOD will!!"

And you can say "Hallelujah anyhow!"

 

Plans for Me

When I think about the fact

That YOU have plans for me

It makes me want to run on

And be the best that I can be.

It makes me want to step high

And then step higher still

It makes me want to encourage others

To get to know YOU and always to do YOUR will.

When I think about the fact

That YOU have plans for me

I get a buoyancy in my step

That is easy for all to see.

...Whether through precipitous winds or calamity.

For I know to trust in YOU, no

Matter what comes my way

Because I know that about what

Happens to me, YOU, the PLAN MAKER,

Has the final say!© (Excerpt, Chopping My Row, Alma L. Carr-Jones)

Psalm 5:11-12 

Proverbs 19:21

*******

 

Hmm-m, just had a thought. Could it be said that as go our haters, so go our blessings? Hmm-m, I don't think that I will view haters in the same light that I used to anymore. Well, well, well... Be safe.

 

Walking by faith,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

 

Got Haters - Don't Worry About It

Having haters means that the haters recognize in you, something that GOD put there. I know, deep thought, isn't it?

So, to make a better application with this thought, let's take a quick look at some verses in Genesis 1, namely verses 4, 10, 12, 18, etc. In these verses, we see that GOD is pleased with His detailed handiwork and pronounced it good at several points in Genesis Chapter 1.

Then GOD decided to make man and was pleased with HIS handiwork and planted a garden toward the east in Eden and placed man in the garden of Eden to till the soil. Then GOD, ever mindful of details, caused every tree that was pleasing to the sight and good for food to be planted in the garden for man. And GOD gave the man instructions about tending and living in the garden. And, as I said before, ever mindful of details, HE allowed man to give names to all of the animals, both beasts and birds.

GOD still looking over HIS handiwork looked at man and determined that it was "not good for man to be alone," so he made woman out of Adam's rib. And thus life began for the man and the woman in the garden.

But, just like life, somebody was watching GOD's working and meddled in it as soon as he could. And thus, you had the fall of man and his expulsion from the garden.

So

When we move on down in Genesis several chapters later, we find a youth of the age of 17 named Joseph, Jacob's son. (You can go back and read the chapters that we skipped over to make your knowledge more complete, but for our purposes here, I wanted to stop at Joseph.)

We find that Joseph was a dutiful son who was loved tremendously by his daddy, so much so, that he gave him a coat of many colors. (Genesis 37:3) Uh oh! When you look at verse 4, you see jealousy begin to rear its ugly head. We find that the boys were so jealous of him that they could not be civil to him. And then Joseph had that dream and told his brothers about his dream and oh my! They hated him even more.

But, wait a minute. WHO gave Joseph the ability to dream in the first place? Uhm hmm, so the thing that his brothers hated him for was put there by GOD, right? Yeah, I know; close your mouth. But, get this. Since GOD gave him the ability to dream of the future, then HE knew everything that his brothers had thought, would think, and ultimately do, right?

Oh, I have you going this morning, don't I? (Tee hee) Now, think about your relationship to GOD. Are you hated for something that GOD blessed you with? If you are close to HIM, don't you know that HE knows every thought that your enemies have toward you? And, as we can see with Joseph, GOD intervened so that his brothers had a change of heart and sold that old dreamer into slavery. "Good riddance to him," is what they thought.

But

When GOD has a plan for your life, there is nothing anybody can do to stop it. That is why I love Romans 8:28 so well. That scripture says that no matter what happens to you nor who causes it to, your FATHER, GOD will make the situation work out for your good. Now, some people hear this scripture and want to run off half-cocked. No, no, no, the scripture does not say that all things are going to be good. "Say what?!, somebody said. Yes, you heard me correctly, that scripture did not say that everything that happened in your life was going to be good, sweet, nice, comfortable, etc. What is does say is that no matter what happens to you in your life, keep trusting in the LORD GOD because HE will turn obstacles into stepping stones for you just like he did for Joseph!

Yep, Joseph stepped his way all the way to second in command in all of Egypt! Oh yeah, they put him in the ditch, and GOD got him out of it and sent him to a noble's house in Egypt. From there, he was thrown into prison, but GOD used Joseph's dreaming to get him out of there by sending the king a troubling dream. Do you see GOD working here? Somebody might say, "Well, how did he meet the king? Aw, Y'all, you don't know the story?

Well, it seems that two of the kings chief servants displeased him and were sent to prison because of it. And while in prison, they had some troubling dreams, and who was there to tell them the interpretation of their dreams? Why, the old dreamer himself, Joseph! Now, I ask you, "Won't GOD do it?!" So, you keep dealing with your haters with your hands in GOD's hands and watch the LORD move.

Covid-19 and nothing else can best you unless it is GOD's will for it to. You keep praying, wearing your masks, practicing social distancing. Things will be the way that GOD intends for them to be because HE is very meticulous about details, and I am so glad that He is mindful of me to the point that HE rocks me in HIS arms from time to time.

In this pandemic time, let GOD know that you continue to be HIS and that you are depending on HIM as a little child depends on its parents.

What?! Did I hear somebody say coincidence? Nope, no such thing as incidence. You'd better ask somebody. As a matter of fact, get your Bible and read Genesis 40 and 41...

See, I told you so. Be safe.

 

Walking by faith,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

Placed in Tennessee (Finale)

I started this post late last night after they had gotten the maintenance finished on my website. These words are intended to deliver healing and encouragement to you during these times of stress, strain, strife, and uncertainty.

(I started a poem yesterday, so I am going to paste yesterday's portion here and tack on the rest of it as well as the blog for today.)

HE placed me in Tennessee

Of the USA as the place of my birth

Where I have known big city life

And small-town life, and my living

Has afforded me both tears and mirth

But through all of my trials and

Through all of my cares, HE

Has let me know that I have

Never walked alone

Because HE has always been as near as

My built-in telephone

By which HE has let me know that, for me

HE is always there, prayer.

HE has shown me HIS love in so

Many ways that I cannot tell them all

But I can tell you enough to let you know

That HE is a caring FATHER, WHO,

Though at times, I felt that I had lost all

Never let me fall.

You see, HE gave me favor in my neighborhood

Among the adults and my peers alike

HE rocked me during the loss of my

Daddy from my life by making my

Momma be strong enough as a Christian

To teach me that I had a FATHER

WHO was never going to abandon me

No matter what was happening in my life

Whether toils, hard school work

Lack of pretty clothes like the other

Kids had, lack of physical amenities

That other kids enjoyed

But through all of the negatives

I got to see Romans 8:28 employed

In that, HE gave me favor in others eyes

So that most of my needs and

A lot of my wants were supplied.

What do I mean by the statement above

I mean that I got to see the evidence

Of HIS continual love

In that, HE always made a way

HE made sure that I was fed by making sure

That my Momma, though a single parent

 Had and kept the favor of her bosses despite

Having to change industries twice in the City

And HE made sure that I had a good self-concept

By giving me favor with my teachers

Allowing me to be singled out to eat lunch

With the principal in his office, just because

I made good grades and was from a low-income family

On me, he decided to have pity

And if I had a rather harrowing day at school

The favor of GOD had a neighbor to call me over

On my walk home from school and ask me to go

To the store for them and usually by the time

That I got home, my bad day had been erased

Because the bad feeling in my heart had given way

To my brain trying to figure out why, out of

The crowd of children walking home,

I was the one called out by my name or

By whatever clothes color I happened to have on.

This happened so much that my friends

and associates always deferred to me when

An adult would address our group and a lot of the time

When I passed my neighbors houses, they would ask me

What I learned at school that day

Or if it were report card time

They would ask to see mine

And after glancing at it, sometimes they would say

"Little girl, you keep going like you are and you

Are gonna be somebody one day; see if you don't!"

And one last thing to mention here

I never will forget the feeling of Christmas cheer

That spread through our house with the food

Basket that the city would deliver once a year.

There were so many times that I was made

To feel special that it never occurred to me

That I was not, but that is what happens when

You grow up with hedges around you, innocent

Of the manifold hurts that you are protected from

And oblivious of the hurts that are to come

 When the hedges are somewhat removed

And you are sent to another school.

Gone were the neighbors calling me over to inquire

About how I was doing or about my grades

Or to offer a cool drink of water on their porch

As I rested in the shade.

You see I no longer walked to school in our neat

Little neighborhood, but had to cross three miles of streets

To get  to the new school that I had been assigned to

And at that school, I was just one out of about 40

Exceptional kids in a grade of two hundred or so

Yes, there was one big exception between the

Other exceptional kids and me; they had money and two

Parents, along with it, don't you know?

But that turned out to be my proving and training ground

Because when I went to college later, I found out

 That I had been ostracized enough that

I was not unduly bothered about being

Thought less of because of my clothes, race or what have you

Instead, I just determined within myself, "Don't know

Who you are or supposed to be

But you just wait until exam time and I will

Introduce you to me!"

Now, I took the long way around to tell you 

That through all of the things that were meant to hold me back

I always seemed to persevere

I now know that it was because GOD's angel was near

And that is why I can tell you that if you

Have cultivated an intimate relationship

With the LORD GOD, you never have to fear

Because, though some current circumstances

On you may be tough

Those times are to prepare your traveling legs

For some terrain up ahead that is rough.

So, all of that to say this, "These tough times won't last

But the future may hold something that

Is worse, but because you will have been toughened by

These times, what is thrown at you next

You will sail through like a blast."

And don't be surprised if you find yourself

A leader of sorts, though you, yourself, have to struggle

Yep, you heard me right, folk may want

To be close to you because they think that to snuggle

Close to you is to court the favor of GOD

And you, mindful of the new position

Into which you have been thrust

Will stay on your knees as you continue

To do as you must.

So, don't waste time thinking about asking why

All of this stuff is happening to you

Just get yourself in gear and be prepared

To do the work that is being set for you to do.©

********

 

These pandemic times will be over one day, and let's make sure that we have allowed ourselves to be trained for the future work that is coming our way.

Be safe.

 

Walking by faith,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

 

 

Placed in Tennessee

HE placed me in Tennessee

Of the USA as the place of my birth

Where I have known big city life

And small-town life, and my living

Has afforded me both tears and mirth

But through all of my trials and

Through all of my cares, HE

Has let me know that I have

Never walked alone because

HE has always been as near as

My built-in telephone where HE

Has let me know that, for me

HE is always there, prayer.

 

HE has shown me HIS love in so

Many ways that I can not tell them all

But I can tell you enough to let you know

That HE is a caring FATHER, WHO

Though at times, I felt that I had lost all

Never let me fall.

 

You see, HE gave me favor in my neighborhood

Among the adults and my peers alike

HE rocked me during the loss of my

Daddy from my life by making my

Momma be strong enough as a Christian

To teach me that I had a FATHER

WHO was never going to abandon me

No matter what was happening in my life

Whether toils, hard school work

Lack of pretty clothes like the other

Kids had, lack of physical amenities

That other kids enjoyed

But through all of the negatives

I got to see Romans 8:28 employed

In that, HE gave me favor in others eyes

So that most of my needs and

A lot of my wants were supplied.

 

What do I mean by the statement above

I mean that I got to see the evidence

Of HIS continual love

In that, HE always made a way...©

 

(Cont. on Monday if the LORD wills...)

 

Walking by faith,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

Can We Hurt GOD

I came across a scripture in Ezekiel that sort of threw me for a loop. The scripture is Ezekiel 6:9. I will cite the scripture below and put in bold type the part that threw me for a loop

Ezekiel 6:9 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

⁹ Then those of you who escape will remember Me among the nations to which they will be carried captive, how I have been hurt by their adulterous hearts which turned away from Me, and by their eyes which played the harlot after their idols; and they will loathe themselves in their own sight for the evils which they have committed, for all their abominations.

Here the Lord is talking about Israel, but since we have been grafted in and are now spiritual Israel, I just wondered if we could hurt GOD, too. I know that HE does not like it when we sin, but I never thought about it hurting HIM! That is a very uncomfortable feeling; I mean, I never want to hurt anybody at all. And most definitely, not GOD.

I tell you one thing; it makes you pause before doing some things, now doesn't it? I mean, most of us are not knowingly going to worship idols, are we? Well, when this pandemic is over, and "normal" is back, and we forget about how uptight we were, and, and...

Well, I started not to say it, but I will. What about staying away from worship to go camping, fishing, to wash the car, boat, cut the grass, etc.? Can we make idols out of those things without even realizing it?

Hmm, something to think about. When HE brings us through this pandemic, I intend to be closer to HIM than ever before. Why? Well, HE will have brought us through this thing, and I want HIM to know that I cherish HIS lovingkindness more than ever. And, too, I want to say, "Thank YOU," in more than just words. Know what I mean?

Well, those are my thoughts for today.

 

Keep the prayer wheel turning, because

This world of ours can surely use it

Plus, I don't know about you, but I treasure the gift

Of prayer and I don't want to do anything to lose it

And that is why I am going to exercise it for

The jewel of a gift that it is

However, that being said, all gifts are precious

That the LORD GOD gives.©

********

 

I never, ever want the LORD GOD to think that I take HIS love for granted. Never!

 

Walking by faith,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

 

 

A Poem of Praise, Hope and Thanksgiving

 

YOU have put a bounce back in my walk

And a lilting joy back in my talk

And now I know that my days of worry and sorrow

Are ordained to be gone on the morrow

Of YOUR choice, and You have given me to understand

That my steps are ordered, and my life is in YOUR hand

So, I can tell any person, boy, girl, woman or man

That no matter the burden that life puts on you

GOD will take your hand and bring you through

And I am going to continue to do all I can while I can

Against the day that YOU have already decreed

That I will be judged for my work or lack thereof, indeed!©

********

GOD has been taking care of HIS children for generations, and HE has promised to be with us too. So, though the rise of cases ebbs and flows during this pandemic, Y'all keep praying, trusting and waiting on GOD our FATHER, for HE knows better than we do, how to take care of and train HIS children. Be safe.

 

Walking by faith,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

Forward I Go

  

I walked with YOU in days of youth

That have gone on before

And I walk with YOU in these days

That push me toward Heaven's shore

Planting seeds of encouragement and hope as I walk

Until I walk this way no more.©

When My Day Is Done

 

When my job is over and my day is done

I will no longer work under the sun

No longer will I watch the wind play

With the water as it with gentleness

Skips across the lake

No longer will I see the little ducks

Following their mother in a line

Nor see the geese in flight and

The fluffy clouds will not be seen by me

Because all of these things for me will have ceased

For from this world, I will have been released.

But until then I will do all I can

In service to the GOD of Heaven

WHO will take me to a home, beautiful

Because I, as HIS child, was faithful and dutiful.

And when my life is over, don't weep for me

Because I will be gone on to glory

Where my LORD I'll see

And when your time down here is over

Come on up and join me where we

Will sing praise to our GOD, JEHOVAH!©

Walking by faith,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones