Monthly Archives: December 2014

Abracadabra! Turning my “what ifs” into choices I can live with

Posted December 31, 2014 | Karisa Moore

Missing Jonathan the past two days. I have had such a reprieve over most of Christmas that the intense heartache is consuming my mind. It is hard to keep the “what ifs” at bay.

No matter what your current circumstances there can always be “what ifs” asked. As I attempted to lasso my thoughts the clear answer is “but I didn’t”. The what if’s are infinite, but the “I dids” are finite. Can I live with my choices?

…

Some of us spend much of our times going through all the scenarios of the things we didn’t choose. What if I had chosen to take that job, or marry James instead of John, and on and on it goes.

Jesus lived with the choices that he made. That wasn’t because he didn’t have “what ifs”; he trusted his heavenly father completely with all of his choices. At the heart of every moment of his time on this earth was loving God and loving his neighbor as himself. Those are the best choices that we can make.

I am imperfect, but I certainly love God and love my children. . . and where I am weak, well those are the places that I hope that Christ shines brightest. Christ is the author and perfector of my faith, as I grow in love I will have fewer what ifs and more confidence in the I dids. For now, I take confidence in what Christ did for me.

Comment
Share

The Cross is Necessary: Why God couldn’t rescue us through a baby

Posted December 26, 2014 | Karisa Moore

Mark 15:39When the centurion, who was standing right in front of Him, saw the way He breathed His last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

Since Jonathan’s death I have struggled with the cross. In all of my getting to know the character of God the cross always made sense. But, since Jonathan’s death I have questioned why the cross is necessary. If God is God then why did Jesus have to die? And of course the underlying question, how does Jonathan’s death work anything for good?

At the Christmas Eve service, as the pastor shared the sermon, the Lord jolted my attention. I mean, sat me up straight and sent me searching for a pen. He said, Karisa I want you to hear this and he wasn’t talking about my ears. My soul was now leaning into the next words.

“It was not enough that Jesus came as a little baby. We don’t need a perfect example, we need a savior.”

It isn’t enough that Jesus came as a baby, grew up among us, did miracles, gave us some good principals to live by. Those are all amazing, but the cross is necessary! Because, you see, with one fell swoop God said Karisa I came for you! Reader, I came for you! Oh, the power surging through my fingers as I type this message to you.

I can celebrate Christmas, despite the loss of Jonathan this year, because God said that I was worth saving. My son was worth saving. You are worth saving.

How can I not live life to the fullest? How can I not wake my daughter up yesterday morning with the delight of Christmas? How can I not share with you the joy that comes in the midst of my pain and casts despair to the deepest part of the sea? I want you to know that Jesus came for you, not when you had your act together, but when you didn’t even know that you needed him. He loved me when I was still forming in my mother’s womb, he valued me when others abused me, he claimed me when I rejected him at 19, and became an anorexic drunk, and he saved me when I was an unwed mother at 20. I had grown up hearing about the man called Jesus, but it is only at the foot of the cross that I really saw him for the Son of God!

Open each day like it is a gift and may it be filled with joy that transcends your understanding! Because, God does things that don’t make sense to me and I love him for it. He rescued me in a mind blowing way, and it started with a little baby in a manger, but it did continued all the way to the cross and a grave that could not contain him! Merry Christmas!

Comment
Share

A Snowflake of Refreshment: The Gift of Frienship

Posted December 10, 2014 | Karisa Moore

Proverbs 25:13 Like a snow-cooled drink at harvest time is a trustworthy messenger to the one who sends him; he refreshes the spirit of his master.

I dreamed about my son Jonathan last night and awoke in deep heartache; the world of the present was difficult to embrace. I walked outside to take the kids to school and saw this snowflake hung from our Jonathan tree.

At just the right moment, when my soul needed refreshment friends brought it to me. WE NEED FRIENDS! I spent the majority of my young life pushing people away and isolated. When Jesus showed me my need for him, my need for friends soon followed. Jesus was not a lone wolf, he started his ministry by calling disciples. He called them friends! The God of the universe called broken man friend. Amazing. So don’t wait until you have it all together (never happening) or mankind has it together (also never happening). I let my friends down, they let me down, but the cool thing is that I now see it as opportunity for grace, growth, and maturing together in faith.

Ecclesiastes 4:9Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. 10For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. 11Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone?…

Comment
Share
Suicide & Prevention Hotline

National Suicide Hotline

If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call the National Suicide Lifeline at 988 or go to the website at https://988lifeline.org/