Gloria Phifer
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| REFLECTION |
Wow!!! Hold on!!! I turned "75" yesterday. I don't "feel" 75. It is amazing. Where did the years go???
As I've shared before I was not a "wanted" child. And I was raised in an alcoholic home with chaos, strife and violence. I didn't know what "peace" was.
My saving grace was that at 6 or 7 years old I was told that Jesus Christ is The Son of God and that He loves me. That was tucked down into my little heart and I believed.
I can't even go into all that He protected me from and how He would show up in my life at times. At 15 yrs old, with something scary I was going through, I prayed. The Lord talked to me about being "born again...and it is a straight and narrow way." I don't think I knew how to do what was put in my conscientious...but I also knew in my heart it was "giving up control of my life"...I knew it meant "Everything." I didn't want to give up control. I use to tell myself how strong I was to be able to get through everything that was going on...denial...complete!!! I was spiraling down. Was life worth living?
At 18 yrs old a young man from Iowa came into my life...Iowa? (where is Iowa?). we were in New Mexico. I married him when I was 19 (almost 20).
He was sent to Alaska in isolation through the Air Force. I came and lived in Iowa with his parents. I had a baby daughter while he was gone. He came home to his baby girl.
I was having a terrible time. I knew nothing about post-par-tum depression...but looking back I can see that was part of it.
I fought fear constantly. I had a wonderful husband and baby girl but I was so lost.
The Lord put me in a neighborhood with two Christian gals.
I didn't even know where to read in the Bible. The church we began attending told me to begin to read in the book of John...I Understood it!!!
At 22 yrs old, I asked Jesus Christ to come into my life...I was born again and filled with The Holy Spirit.
My life changed forever. I found "Peace." Real peace. I found "Life." I found a Shepherd. The Lord told me I had been born for Him.
We have 3 grown children. 9 grandchildren, all but one are in their 20's and now we are "Great grandparents."
If you hesitate to give your life to Jesus Christ...please hear my words...He brings abundant life. you know, that emptiness in you that never feels like it is ever filled? He fills that emptiness.
And my family of origin...my mother, step dad, brother, grandmother, aunt and many others came to Christ. My mother and stepdad, grandmother and aunt are in Heaven right now.
I thank The Lord that He knew me before I was ever born (Ps. 139) He loved me so much...He had a calling and destiny for my life. And He has a calling and destiny for your life.
Jesus is Someone you can talk to. He is there...just pray to Him and He will answer you.
Gloria Phifer
Christmas for me as a child was always a let down. Expectations...all of us... trying to fill the emptiness that filled our home and our hearts.
After the presents were opened and the food was eaten...it was over.
Living in a home of alcoholism, alcohol was used by the adults to fill the emptiness...cover the pain. There was no peace on earth for us.
At 22 I asked Jesus to come into my life. I found Someone Who loved me. I found The Real Gift.
No longer is the expectation to fill my emptiness. It has been filled by my Savior.
I know this can be a hard time of year for people. they can expect it to fill an area of emptiness.
Peace, Good Will unto man was heralded by The Angels.
The birth announcement was for you and me...Jesus Christ...Emmanuel...God with us...came for you and me. To fill the emptiness. To comfort and heal our hurts. To bring peace into our chaos.
Unto us a Son is born. Unto us a Child is given. His Name is Wonderful, Counselor, The Almighty God, The Everlasting Father and The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9
The true meaning of Christmas is God loves you so much that He sent His Son so you could know Him. Jesus took on flesh and dwelt among us. God put on flesh so you would know Him. (John 1:14)
He came into this world to pay the price of our sins on the cross so we can be reconciled to Him and belong to Him. It is astonishing . that He loved us so much He came as a baby...become a man...and took all of our sins upon Himself at the cross so we could have fulfillment, hope, comfort...a reason to live...and eternal life...never to be afraid of death again.
If you have never received Jesus...He is standing at the door of your heart. He won't push His way into your life...when you ask Him to come in, you will find the One Who fills that emptiness and gives you the reason to really live. Live with The One Who loved you enough to come into your world...yes..."Your world". Emmanuel God with you!
Gloria Phifer
I am joining the bloggers at FMF...we write on one word...the word is "Need."
What do I need?
Throughout my childhood I had "need." I needed love, security, stability, and even into my early 20's I had a deep "need."
I have written before about the void, the emptiness a heart feels. Nothing fills the void, the loneliness, the hurt, the pain. The feeling of being lost...wandering in a wilderness. Trying to fill that emptiness with something....but it never works.
That was the way I was...I had a "Need."
This what I discovered. No one else...nothing else could meet my need. My emptiness.
There is Only One Who fills the emptiness...the heart is empty without God.
My need was filled when I asked Jesus Christ to come into my life. I found The One my heart was crying out for. We were made for God. He is our Creator...there will always be an emptiness until we come to Him.
Jesus Christ meets "The Need."
If you feel that emptiness "that need" in your life...pray with me...
"Lord Jesus please forgive me of my sins, I believe You died on the cross for my sins. Jesus, Lord, I receive you into my heart...I receive You as my Savior Amen.
