Exchanging the Broken Pieces of Our Lives

Exchanging the Broken Pieces of Life -Redemption 

Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie

June 2015

Copyright

Bridge between broken pieces of our lives and redemption

     One of the things I have discovered that God loves to do is redeem things in our lives. No matter what mess you have made, how bad things look, or how much you have lost, God is standing right beside you orchestrating redemption just for you.

     What is redemption or what does it mean to redeem something? The dictionary definition states, “to compensate for the faults or bad aspects of something, to save from evil or error, to gain or regain possession of something, to exchange something.” Our society does not use the word redeem much unless we are talking about coupons, but uses “exchange” instead. 

     What is it that you need for God to exchange for you? Think about it for a moment. What matters to you, matters to God. We live in a fallen world where life interrupts; sometimes suddenly, occasionally tragically, often times unexpectedly. I think that is why God is in the business of redeeming things, just for us. Redemption is what he specializes in.

      What do we do when our plans and dreams are interrupted? I have found by experience that we simply hang on to God to take the next step. We wait for Him to work in our lives to redeem the situation. This often times rubs the impatient the wrong way. As Americans, we are not good at waiting in the line at the grocery store. But in those times of waiting, we get to experience the joy of holding His hand. Isaiah 41:13 states, “For I am the Lord your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear, I will help you.” (NIV)

     One of my personal stories of redemption began five years ago, I sat on our beautiful  deck with my late husband, The conversation began with, “Kathleen, sit down, we need to talk.” I knew we needed to discuss some things neither one of us wanted to talk about but we had to. I sat at the end of the table, where he usually sat and took a deep breath.  Even in his physical weakness, due to a rare cancer, Joe was leading his family. “Things are not going the way we want them to. My life insurance policy is in the front desk in the file. When I am gone, call USAA and they will walk you thru the whole process,” he said. “They will help you,” he continued. My mind and body exhausted from caregiving and fighting for his life, was swimming with questions. I suddenly felt like I was in very deep water and the waves were way over my head. I found it hard to even breathe as my eyes filled with tears.

  Then he continued, “You are not made to live alone.” His eyes filled with tears and his voice began to crack. “I love you but want you to know, you have my permission to go on with your life and find someone else,” he struggled to say. I had to turn my face away. I did not want to hear those words anymore than he wanted to say them. We had  been friends, lovers, parents, and partners for 30 years. I could not imagine life with out him. I knew out of his great love for me, he was saying the words he never thought he would have to say but he wanted what was best for me. Joe took his last breath a few days later.

New life on the deck

     Three very long and lonely years rolled by as I struggled to discover life without him. “How do you live when half of you is gone and your heart is broken,” I often thought. I have discovered, you live one day at a time holding God’s hand in the journey. Sometimes holding his hand for comfort, other times when fear knocks on the door and many times holding tight trying to find the joy in living again.

     So what does this have to do with redemption? Several years later, I sat on the very same deck again, except with another man. We were laughing and enjoying the beautiful weather and both working on our wedding vows. As we finished writing we shared with each other the promises we were going to make to each other. All of a sudden, I remembered the day years ago I sat in the very same spot in tears feeling like my life was over. The very place that had been so painful, was now a place of redemption. I thought how kind God was to redeem the place that had been so painful was now my place of new beginnings. 

     The journey has been a long and difficult one but my heart has expanded, gotten stronger and actually thrived holding His hand. God gave me a chance to experience His redemption. He has exchanged the thing I feared most as I have let go of my past life, for something new, good and full of fun and adventure.

A picture of redemption

      Psalms 107:1 states, “Give thanks to the Lord for he is good. His love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.” Psalms 107:6-8 says, “Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble and he delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle.” I am not quoting this scripture. I have lived and experienced it and the experience has made me rich.

     Where are you right now in your life? Are you hanging on by a thread? Are you mad at God because of where this world has tossed you and you are blaming Him? Perhaps you just need your knees strengthened to stand and wait for Him to redeem. He will. He is faithful and good. Psalms 130 tells us to wait for him to exchange things for us and verse 7 states, “hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is FULL redemption.” (NIV)

     

      What do you need to ask God to redeem in your life? Ask Him now. Who do you need to encourage that God will redeem their tragedy? As Jesus said in Luke 21:28, “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (NIV)

     

Kathleen is a native of the Hill Country and is a writer and speaker. She is passionate about helping people discover their value and worth. Contact her at kathleenmaxwell1@gmail.com or visit her blog on www.themaxwellminutes.blogspot.com

The Rock That Is A Firm Place to Stand

 The Rock That is A Firm Place to Stand
May 2015
Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie
Copyright

The other day, I was hiking to the top of a steep hill. I took a step upward and all of a sudden my arms were swinging around as I tried to get my balance. I am sure I looked pretty funny trying not to fall down, however, I just could not find a firm place to step. As I tried to gain my balance again, my other foot began to slip too.  Knowing I was about to roll down the hill instead of going upward,  I sat down to  to catch my breath and figure out what to do next. 

As I looked over my shoulder, I saw a great big rock. It was solid, huge and close to the top of the hill. “If only I could get to that big rock, I could make it to the top,” I thought. “The big rock I had my eye on was massive and the view must be magnificent,” I said to myself. “If only my feet were on that rock, my feet would not slip and I would have  a better perspective and view of everything.” 

I thought of the different times in my life when I felt like I was slipping with life’s circumstances, was going to tumble and fall and needed a higher perspective of my situation. Have you ever been in a place in your life where you feel like your feet keep slipping the harder you try? Have you ever felt stuck in your circumstances? Sometimes, all we can do is cry out to God for help and wait for him to direct the next move.

God  has a promise for you if you feel stuck or like life is slipping away. He promises that he is right there to help us. Psalms 40:1-2 says, “I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.” (NIV) Sometimes all we can do is sit down, just like I did on the side of the hill and wait on God for direction and the next step to take in a situation.

When we wait on God, we put ourselves in a position to be lifted up and our feet to be set on something firm. One of my frequent prayers is, “God help me to see this situation from your perspective.” My earth bound thinking is faulty at times and I need a higher viewpoint. The waiting time is a time of transition from the problem to the answer. I have a lot of great people in my life but God is the only one I can always depend on to help me and be there for me. 

Psalm 31:3 states, “For You are my rock and my fortress; For Your name’s sake You will lead me and guide me.” (NIV) This is a powerful promise that I have clung to while I have waited on God.

Psalm 18:2 declares, “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” 

I could not keep my eyes off the big rock on the side of the hill. It fascinated me as my thoughts drifted to how big God is, his constant faithfulness, and the reminder that he wants to be my rock in every situation I face. Will you join me in making God your rock and firm place to stand?

Kathleen is a native of the Hill Country and is a writer and speaker. She is passionate about helping people discover their value and worth. Contact her at kathleenmaxwell1@gmail.com or visit her blog on www.themaxwellminutes.blogspot.com

How Good is Your Cast?

May 2015

Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie

Copyright

“Let’s go fishing this weekend, Kathleen,” my husband said as we visited after a long day of work. My Stephen is a fisherman and until recently, the sport has been foreign to me. The Bible tells women to adapt to their husbands so  I am trying to embrace this new fishing world! 

Not long ago, we were invited to go bass fishing with another couple. I am always up for new adventure, however, all day of fishing was a little more adventure than I had signed up for. About six hours into the nine hour trip, my shoulders ached, my skin was sticky, I was tired and longed for a hot bath. To make matters worse, I had not caught near as many fish as everyone else.

“Why am I not catching as many fish as everyone else?” I asked Stephen. “We are all fishing out of the same boat and using similar lures,” I stated.

“Well, honey, it takes practice,” he encouraged.

“You’re doing good but the main thing you need to work on is practicing your cast,” he continued.

I began to watch exactly how and where the other three experienced fisherman were casting. Their cast were specific, not just in the middle of the lake. I began practicing my cast.It was not too long before I too, began to catch a few fish and even managed to reel in a 2 1/2 lb. bass. A year later and a few more fishing trips under  my belt, my largest catch to date has been a 31’ Red Fish and I was able to use my oversize tag!

I’ve noticed that life and fishing are similar in some ways. Two common denominators are casting and waiting… Life can be challenging and all of us have burdens. Financial woes plague many with our economy, problems in relationships challenge others, work stress press down on a number of people or caring for an ill loved one. What burden is weighing on you right now? Maybe you are trying to carry all the above burdens by yourself. If that is the case, I would suggest you need to practice your cast and wait on the Lord.

Cast means to throw forcefully in a specific direction. Psalms 55:22 says,“ Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail).(AMP) When trouble lands on our shoulders, we are told exactly what to do-to throw them forcefully to the Lord. God knew we were not designed to carry the problems we would encounter so he offered to carry them for us. I love how he is the perfect gentleman!

I have encountered numerous trial in the past 6 years and have had the opportunity to practice casting my burdens on the Lord. To be honest, I would have crumbled by the weight of them if I tried to carry them by myself.  Sometimes I would try to cast them on the Lord but it was more of a toss, instead of a forceful throw. If we do not throw our cares forcefully and in the direction of the Lord, they can weigh us down and rob us of joy, peace and even good health. We must be intentional about our cast and practice it often.

I have been practicing my casting preparing for an upcoming fishing trip. I am also working on quickly casting my cares on the Lord also so I can reap the blessings God promises for me as I cast my burdens upon him. God loves you and me so much and I wants us to practice casting our burdens.  What burden do you need to practice casting? Will you join me in practicing your cast? Who knows what we will catch as we enjoy the adventures He has for us as we walk with Him.

Kathleen is a native of the Hill Country and is a writer and speaker. She is passionate about helping people discover their value and worth. Contact her at kathleenmaxwell1@gmail.com or visit her blog on www.themaxwellminutes.blogspot.com

Hanging Between Life and Death

 Hanging Between Life and Death
Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie
Copyright

Summer of 2005 I found myself in downtown Houston, Texas at one of the speciality hospitals located at the medical centers. My sweet mother was battling a rare disease and the doctor we were seeing in Kerrville recommended we go somewhere that had more experience with this illness.

Mother also had some dementia  and Parkinson's as a result of the assault  of the disease on her brain. Sometimes she was not able to  process things easily and she was declining quickly.  One afternoon while sitting with her in her room, we began to hear a woman next door begin to moan loudly. I quickly rose from my chair and shut the door so mother could rest. 

The distress of the patient next door continued and by 7:00 p.m. mother said, “Will you go turn that off?”  I chuckled and by now, I was weary of the noise and felt compassion for the patient and the family. I had been praying for the person in distress and the only other thing I could think of doing to help was offer to pray for the patient in person. As I walked into the hall I met a nurse coming out of the patient’s room. 

“Excuse me,” I said as I greeted the nurse. “Is there family in room 210?” I asked.

 “No, only the patient,” she replied. “No one in the family has been up here for days,” she stated. My heart sank that no one had been there to support and love this person in their time of need. 

“Would it be alright if I went into the room and prayed for them?” I asked. The nurse knew I was a believer and she was also a Christian. “Sure, if you want to.” she said. 

As I walked in, I saw a woman with her eyes closed, tossing her head and body back and forth on the bed and moaning really loud. She looked like she was being tormented and seeing something that was causing her great distress. 

“I am here to pray for you if you would like for me to.” I said. “Would that be alright?”

The woman nodded her head up and down  and I slowly stepped a little closer to her bed and touched her hand. I began to pray out loud and ask God to pour His peace over her body and be her deliverer. The woman began to calm down a little but I could tell she was not doing well and wondered if she had long to live. As I stood there and prayed I felt God say, “She does not know me.” “Oh no,” I thought.

I very simply told her that God loved her, Jesus died for her and he  wanted to be her Savior. “If you want Him to be your Savior, let me know.” I said not really knowing if she could really understand. Much to my dismay, she squeezed my hand.

“Jesus, this woman wants you to be her Lord and Savior. Come into her heart and bring her peace.” I continued. The woman took a deep breathe and quit moaning and tossing! A peaceful look appeared on her face and she began to rest peacefully.

I exited the room and went back to check on my Mom. She was already asleep so I gently kissed her forehead and went back to the hotel for the evening exhausted but feeling confident in God and the difference His presence had made in room 210.

The next day I noticed a new patient being rolled into the room 210. I could not wait until the evening shift began and hoped the nurse I knew would be on duty. I knew she could not tell me much but I wanted to see what I could find out. Where was the woman I prayed with? Finally the nurse she appeared. 

 “ I know you can not tell me much but I noticed the woman I prayed for last night is gone today,” I said. “ 

“Thank you for praying for her last night,” the nurse in green scrubs replied. ‘Your prayers worked and the halls were quite last night,” she continued. 

“Where is she?” I asked. The nurse smiled and said, “She is no longer here, and your prayer was just in time” she said as her eyes shifted upward.

As I pondered what I heard, I realized the veil between life and death was thin. I have to wonder if the woman was moaning because she saw the reality of hell and then became peaceful as she accepted Christ. 

None of us know when we will take our last breathe and life on earth will be over. Heaven and hell are real. Do you know where you will spend eternity? Jesus said in John 11: 25, “I am the resurrection and the life, He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (NIV)

Becoming a Christian does not mean you will not face life’s problems. It means that you have a wonderful counselor and mighty God to walk with you through life’s challenges. If you are a Christian, there are people all around that long to see the hope of Jesus in your life and mine. I challenge you to open your eyes and look and listen for them. 

I use to be hesitant to share my faith but God has helped me in so many ways, loves me more that I can imagine, gives me wisdom beyond my years and been my comforter when my heart hurts. Life with God is too good to keep for myself. I have to give it away. 

Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie is a native to the Texas Hill Country, a writer and speaker. She is passionate about helping people discover their value and worth and God’s love, You can reach her at kathleenmaxwell1@gmail.com or visit her blog at www.themaxwellminutes.blogspot.com   

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Real Love, Never Give Up and Easter

Hill Country Community Journal

Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie

April 1,2015 copyright

  Several years ago I walked into the gym to workout  and noticed a man wearing a t-shirt that said, “Never give up.” God had spoken those words to me years ago when I was about to tell a client she had exhausted all the grace I had. “That was it; she was dismissed from participating in the program,” I thought. As I drove to her house and prayed, I felt God’s presence invade my vehicle and God firmly spoke to me and said, “Kathleen, never give up on people because I don’t.” I knew that if I did what I wanted to do, it would be contrary to what God wanted for this woman. I obeyed God and extended mercy and grace, with firm boundaries to this young woman. I treated her with love and respect. I am happy to say that years later she is highly successful and living a godly life. That experience taught me a valuable lesson that I live by today.

     The words, “never give up” on the man’s shirt  reminded me of how God never gives up on us. He never stops loving us or believing the best about us. I Corinthians 13:8 says, “Love never fails.” (NIV) God loves us so much he gave his only son, Jesus, for us. God let go of what was dear to him so we could enjoy life abundantly no matter what. The beauty of the Easter story is that Jesus never gave up on God. Jesus’s love for his father never wavered, even as he hung dying.  I am sure he didn’t understand because how on earth could a good father allow such a thing? Loving isn’t always easy but it never fails.

     I Corinthians 13 is known as the love chapter in the Bible and talks all about real genuine love for others and how we are to love. If I were a Bible translator, which I am not, I would translate it like this:

 “If I am a wonderful eloquent speaker but do not speak with kindness and a heart of love, I miss the drum beat and the all my notes are sharp and flat.

     If I am  smart, educated, and can see into the future; and if I believe in God so much I can move Mt. Everest, but do not daily love others, I might as well go back to bed and forget the day.

     If I am generous and give to the poor, if I sacrifice my body for others but don’t do it with the right motive, I have wasted my time and money.

    Real love never gets in a hurry, it waits and doesn’t push others. Selfless love is gentle and looks for what it can give; mature love makes others feel more important than oneself. it makes others feel valuable,important  and wanted and does not have a high opinion of oneself. A person walking in love, walks in humility.

     Love is not sarcastic or and does not put others down; it always looks for the best in others and sees the good in them and  getting angry is the exception, not the rule. Love does not keep remembering when others hurt them. It makes a conscious effort to put the hurt and bad memories behind them.

      Love does not go around telling of others failures, it covers their failures. Love tells the truth.

     Love does not ever quit. it believes and looks for the best in others, love always has hope for others and endures the roughest seas and the hottest deserts to make the relationship a good one.

     Love will help you win the race every time. You can loose your ability to do your talent, you can forget the things you studied for years, 

     None of us know everything and we need each other.

     When I was young, I could get by being immature, unforgiving and mad at others but it is time to grow up.

     At the end of the day, three things hang around, faith, hope and love. But you will be a winner in the eyes of God when you walk in love; love is all that matters.” 

      Real love takes sacrifice, it isn’t easy, but it is worth it. I challenge you to read I Corinthians 13 daily for a few weeks and let the words wash over you and speak to you. Ask God what he wants to speak to your heart about His love for you and how you are to love those around you.

     God and Jesus both demonstrated their love for us in the Easter story. Love, forgiveness  and overcoming are the basic message in Christ’s death and resurrection. Before his death, Jesus was asked a question in Matthew 22:36-39,”Teacher, what is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment and the second is like it; Love your neighbor as yourself.”

 All of us will die one day. What will really matter to God and others, is how we loved. Do you love God with all your heart? Do you love others well or do you need to keep practicing? Do you daily tell God you love him and tell others you love them with your actions and words? Pride is often what keeps us from telling others and God we love them.

      I challenge you to open your heart to more of God’s love for you and daily tell God you love Him. He wants to hear those words from you. Join me in daily telling those around you that you love them. They need to hear it. We all do. And never give up on loving others because God never gave up on you.


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