SUITCASE OF JOY

The fall season has arrived, although it still feels like summer!  The women’s Bible Study group that I belong to has started back up after being on hiatus for the summer.   This season the women’s study has taken on a kind of new theme:  Get Real.   Within our separate groups, we each had to describe what our “selfie” would look like if we snapped a shot in our real life, everyday routine, or something we do that represents our current life.   Some of the women said they would be in a t-shirt and sweatpants sitting in front of their computer or sporting their workout clothes at the gym.  Another said she’d be in the kitchen because she loves to cook and another said she’d be in her car since she’s driving all the time.  When it came my turn to describe my selfie, I didn’t have to give it much thought!  That was an easy question to answer!  My selfie would be a photo of me ‘rolling with my suitcase’ because since the beginning of summer, I’ve been living like a Nomad staying a couple of months here and a couple of months there with my friends.   One of the gals in my group put a positive spin on it and said, “I’m carrying my suitcase of joy from place to place.”  The first visual that popped in my head was Mary Poppins.  Lol!   But, the words she said really touched me.  It was such a beautiful way of looking at my circumstances.  I don’t know the greater plan that God has for my future, but right now he’s giving me the opportunity to spread His Joy!   Although, honestly, I don’t always feel joyful in my situation, but for the most part, I’ve been taking it all in stride and keeping a positive attitude, because I know my circumstances are temporary.  For, I know that amazing things are just around the corner!  

Psalm 16:11 You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. 

Funny,  the summer months, I was doing my own Bible study and the week’s lesson, prior to starting back at Bible Study, was all about Joy!   The lesson was titled:  The Joy of the Lord Is Our Strength.    Then, the following Sunday at church, the preachers message was about finding Joy.  Not a coincidence!   I love it when God does that!  That’s God’s way of speaking to me and confirming that my Joy needs to be replenished.   God knows my heart, hears my thoughts, sees my circumstances, and knows exactly when I need His comfort and encouragement.   He definitely got my attention!  

The Joy that comes from the Lord, is not a feeling or an emotion, but it’s a Joy that’s within.  It’s an inner strength, and inner peace.   It’s more of a knowing than a feeling.  Does that make sense?   It’s a Joy that you can have even when your life seems to be going nowhere or it’s been turned upside down, or when your circumstances seem so much greater than what you can handle….. but, in all the chaos and uncertainty, you have a peace that is beyond understanding, because you know it’s all going to be okay.  Why?  Because Christ remains in me and my Joy comes from Him.   Jesus says in John 15:11 I have told you this so that My Joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.  -   Jesus IS joy and he’s the Giver of joy.   Even the psalmist David, knew his joy came from the Lord.  In his agony and shame he cries out to the Lord. - Psalm 51:12  Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me. 

What does it mean, the Joy of the Lord is my strength?   I use to think that my strength is because I have joy in knowing that Jesus in my Lord and Savior.  But, my strength is not of me...it’s the strength that Jesus had that enabled him to endure the suffering he went through at Calvary.  What gave Jesus strength, was seeing the joy on the other side, the joy of him being united with his Father (God) and the joy of knowing that we too can spend eternity with God, because of the cross.   Now that’s strength!!   His joy is the source of my strength!

Hebrews 12:2,3 For the joy set before him, Jesus endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 

So, whatever your Joy looks like, whether it comes in a suitcase, a jar, a pocket…..whatever metaphor relates to your life, I believe our world needs more Joy.  We all live in our own little sphere in this massive world where we can make a difference by spreading the Joy that comes from the Lord.    

PAIN IS TEMPORARY

Last month, I started working out again!  I find it so much harder to get back into it, once I’ve stopped for so long.   I’m not one who can just go to the gym and work through the machines.  I prefer to take spin classes or Pilates, yoga, dance classes or outdoor bootcamps.  So recently, I started going on hikes in Baldwin Hills.  The face of the hill, or what I call a mini-mountain, has cement stairs that ascend straight to the top and dirt trails that zigzag across the face and around the hill.   The early evening hours seem to be the peak time for hikers.  When standing at the bottom of the hill, it literally looks like a human ant hill.   That’s how busy it gets!  So, I’ve been going during the late morning hours to avoid the crowds.  Notice, I didn’t say early morning hours!  I truly, admire these folks who can get up before dawn to get their work-out in.  I’ve tried, but it’s just not part of my make up!   :-) 

I’ve been taking advantage of my hikes and using the time to pray, worship and commune with God.  I put my earphones in, plug them into my iPhone and listen to my playlist of worship music.  It’s funny, in all my years of working out, I have never actually listened to my own music!   (I know, it sounds crazy, especially in our age of technology.)  What a difference it makes!  You can tune out all the other noise and get lost in your own audio world.  I love it!    

The other day, I was trudging up those uneven, rugged stairs.  I say ‘trudge”  because I am really out of shape!  So, after a few steps, I had to pause to catch my breath.  Although, I have to say, each day I am improving.  Less, frequent pauses!  -  As I stopped, a man rushed past me and yelled out to his friend ahead of him, who seemed to be struggling like me.  He shouted out with encouragement, “hang in there bro, the pain is just temporary!”  -   I thought to myself, “Wow, so profound and so true!”   His words truly resonated with me.  It’s true, our pain is temporary.  Overjoyed, I said to myself, “I’m going to use that as the title of my next blog!”  -  I was so excited to get home and start writing this blog, but first I had to finish my hike!  -  As I stood there, out of breath, looking up at all the steps still to go, my inner voice said, “okay Rhoshan, this pain is temporary!  You can make it to the top.  Just one step at a time!”   So, I kicked it into second gear, eyes looking down at my feet, focused on my music, and made it to the top with an extra beat to my feet!   When I reached the top, my arms instinctively flew up in the air.  I felt like Rocky Balboa!  I can hear the theme song in my head! 

Life is like those steep, uneven, rugged stairs.  When we’re at the bottom looking up at what’s ahead, it can be very intimidating, even scary at times.  But, when we actually start walking forward, our focus is downward looking at one step at a time.  We can make plans for the future, but we still, will never know what lies ahead of us.  I often think, it’s a good thing we don’t know what’s ahead!   I truly believe, that is God’s saving grace for us all.  Could you imagine if you knew beforehand the trials, the struggles and the pain that you will have to face?   I don’t think we could handle having the full knowledge of our future.   When I think about the past couple of years of my life, if I had known ahead of time that my father would be diagnosed with a terminal disease, and if I had known the struggle he had to face, and the pain and heartache of taking care of him and watching him deteriorate, I would, absolutely, be in disbelief and fearful of what was to come!  

There is no such thing as a crystal ball for this life.  We are meant to experience life one day at a time and take on each challenge as it comes, instead of stressing about tomorrow or things that haven't happened yet.   Really, the only future we can be certain of is eternal life with our Heavenly Father.   That assurance comes only through belief in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.    

 John 14:6  Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  

God’s Word says in Matthew 6:34 Don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.   We can choose to face our troubles alone or with the help of God.  I choose taking the hand of God and leaning on His strength. I could not have gotten through the past two years without the Lord by my side and the strength that came from all the prayers from family and friends.  I memorized the scripture Isaiah 41:10, which says,  Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I and your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  -  When I felt weary and about to give up, I reminded myself of God's words.  It’s amazing what our body and soul can endure when we allow the Spirit of God to carry us through it!  

Just like those coarse steps….. when we face the pains of life, whether it be the loss of a loved one, a physical pain or illness, financial struggles, loneliness, depression, addiction, disappointments of life, whatever the pain stems from, take comfort in knowing that it is temporary!  This too shall pass. 

2 Corinthians 4:17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!   So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

The scripture above makes me think of Jesus, who willingly, suffered the greatest pain ever when he went to the cross for the redemption of our sins.   The way that he was able to endure the pain, was not looking at the cross, but Jesus looked beyond it.  He saw the joy set before him.  The joy of being reunited with God and the joy of us, one day joining him in eternity.  -  Jesus knew that the pain was temporary!

Hebrews 12:1-3   And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

THE SOUND

By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place; by his knowledge the watery depths were divided, and the cloud let drop the dew. 
Proverbs 3:19-20

It’s been over two years since I last posted a blog.  I thank those of you who have followed my blog, and my apologies for the huge lapse in time.  :)    So much has happened in my life, these past years,  I wouldn’t know where to begin.  One thing is certain,  I now have plenty of new experiences to write about.   So, I invite you all to follow my footsteps through this next season of my life!   

Those of you who are new to my blog, may perhaps be wondering, “Why Feet of Faith?”   Since, the wee age of 8, my life has been a walk with God, through the good, the bad and the ugly.   Yes, I am a believer in Creation, that God is the creator of all things including Mankind, and because of his great love for us, sent his son Jesus Christ into the world, not to judge Mankind, but to save us, to give us eternal life and an abundant life here on earth.   I’m not a religious person, but rather, a person who has a relationship with God through Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior.  I am simply a follower of Jesus.

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During the Christmas holiday’s last year, I went to my friends annual poetry reading party.   She has been throwing these parties for at least the past 15+ years.  Her shindigs are always such a hit.  We’re always amazed at the hidden talents that pour out of our friends.  Who knew there are such poets amongst us!   This time, I wrote about a place I visited last summer.  I spent three months in Scotland and during my stay I had the opportunity to visit my cousin and her family who live in the Isle of Man.  It was one of the highlights of my stay in the U.K.!  If you’re reading this cuz, thanks again for having me.  :) 

There’s a place at the Southern tip of The Isle of Man called, The Sound.   My poem is about that place. 

THE SOUND 

I close my eyes, what do I hear?

The crashing, of rushing waves, that seem so near.

Like symbols clashing, as the sound escapes

My ears alert, as I stand in awe, of such a place. 

The chill that meets my rosy cheeks,

from the dashing wind, where does it seek?

It’s resounding tenor, from left to right

that carries a melody of such force & might. 

And then a shift of warmth, my face so longs.

The clouds have separated, the sunshine prolongs.

The ocean, the wind, the clouds, the sun; all in such harmony.

Only its Creator conducts such a symphony.

by Rhoshan Amir 

Psalm 19:1-4  The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.  Day after day they pour forth speech;  night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them.  Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.

Whenever I stand before God’s incredible beauty, whether it be the ocean, the mountains, a field of wild flowers, or gazing up at the millions of stars …. it takes my breath away to know that the creator of such magnificence, sees me.  He knew me before I was knitted in my mother’s womb.  He knows the number of hairs on my head.  He knew my name before my parents named me and he hears me and loves me and whispers in my ear to let me know that he is always near.  Wow!   

God wants to commune with you.  So simply, close your eyes and listen for His voice.  

John 10:27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.