Welcome

Why a blog from me, someone who has never been a writer, someone who has never been articulate or had a solid grasp of the grammar world. Because God told me to write. Several years ago a life storm invaded my family. God kept telling me to write it all down. I argued, but He would not let up. This went on every day for a couple of weeks until one day out of frustration, (I'd like to say it was out of obedience), I picked up a pen and paper and wrote for 7 hours straight! Do you think maybe I needed therapy and God knew it?

I've been writing ever since and have learned to love it! I started out sharing my stories with friends and family. I've now been published in a Nashville church paper, Our Daily Journey (a devotional site of RBC Ministries), PCCWeb Daily Devotional, Ruby for Women Ezine Magazine, and I am a contributor in the book Alabaster Jars, Life in Abundance Collection 2.

Why Ponderings? During this life storm, God led me to a pond in the woods behind my home. There He met me each time, teaching new lessons, reminding me of old ones, showing His presence and allowing me to feel His love through the surroundings of that pond. I found myself returning over and over to ponder, pray and praise. A healing of my heart took place and out of the experience came my first book, Ponderings From the Pond, then a second book, Ponderings From My Porch, and now a third book is in the works along with a memoir about my storm.

Why am I making myself so vulnerable? Because God has done so much that I cannot keep quiet. I have to share. Jesus's last words to his desciples were, "Go,tell." We are his disciples too and this is just one of my ways of telling.

I'm no scholar but I have heard God's voice in my spirit, experience His love daily, and have a desire for others to experience this also. I would love to share with all who visit and I would love to hear from you. If my sharing gets just one to ponder, to be quiet with the Father, to see and hear from Him or to be reminded of something from Him, then this is worth my vulnerability.

As you visit me, sometimes we will be at the pond, sometimes we will move to the front porch, and sometimes we will just be here, there, and yonder. Thank you for coming and please feel free to come back anytime, you are always welcome here.

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 19:14

*****EXCITING NEWS*****

My first book, Ya Know What I'm Say'n, has been released.


Ponderings

Ponderings

Friday, April 13, 2012

Serving Others With This!?

If you saw my last post, Love Chooses From An Empty Plate, then you know for a time over 5 years ago, I had a hard time.  This is what the storm was about that I mention up above in my intro.  But God is so good, He didn't leave me there.  He used many things and people to help me come out of the funk I was in and this. . .
is one of those things He used.  Can you tell what it is?  :)
It's VERY delicious!
Homemade chicken salad.
How you may ask, did He use this to bring me out of my funk?


A friend, one of my angels at the time, dragged me, yes dragged me to our church to become involved in the lunch/hospital ministry.  There is a different team of people that show up in the church kitchen every Thursday morning and make chicken salad sandwiches,

bag them, and deposit them into these. . .
white lunch bags. Along with the sandwiches, these go in. . .
and these. . .
and these. . .
The bags are folded and a note stapled to the outside. . .
and then all the lunch bags are loaded into these Prime Timer tote bags. . .
Let me just say, I'm not a Prime Timer yet, but they let me come on board.  They have SO much fun!


We leave the church kitchen with totes slung over our shoulders and we head to the two hospitals in our town.  We hit the ICU room first and deliver the goods to the family of patients. Then we go looking for family sitting in the patients rooms. They sit there most of the day, worrying about their loved ones, not wanting to miss phone calls from the doctors, waiting for a loved one to get out of surgery, and so they don't eat a lot of the time.  This is our ministry to feed them and offer prayer for them and their loved ones.  I have met and prayed with so many neat, wonderful people and they are ALL SO appreciative of the food and the visit.

It did my hurting heart SO good to get out of my little pity party and go serve others, to offer love and compassion to others who needed it in their time of hurt.  And God used this to help heal my hurt.  Isn't that just like God?  To get one outside of herself, to remove the focus off of muah and focus on others, to be put into the company of others who are needing a visit, some food, and a hug and a prayer.  I leave the hospitals every time feeling renewed and good and alive with a smile on my face.  Healing was happening and it felt so good!

Like I said, this began 7 years ago and I am still serving sandwiches.  Three years ago, God led me to start the Blanket Ministry for the homeless.  Another huge blessing to me.
There is just nothing quite like serving others and showing the love of Christ to those in need. . .no matter what that need is.

I share this to encourage if anyone is out there, hurting in their heart, I believe one of the best ways to heal is to go serve someone, to focus on others, to love on others.  Healing and love will go full circle.
Try it!  I dare you!
;)




5 comments:

kd sullivan said...

Serving others does heal the servers heart. I've learned this lesson as well. He is so good to bring light out of darkness...

Denise said...

Great lesson.

Aritha V. said...

Thank you for sharing this. Your ministry to feed them and offer prayer for them and their loved ones is great in Gods eyes.

xxx

Craig said...

You ARE a prime-timer! between just you and me (and the Internets) – this last decade or more has been one of constant trial. At times I really can't see any earthly possibility of change, or fewer trials. It's just by faith but I'm still here at all. And I can get into a little "pity party" every now and again – and you are SO right – reaching out, helping others, being a support for those who need it, just a little helping hand for those who need one, and for me, most of the people I help are in far better life circumstances than I am, (and I reach out to some people in really tough circumstances) but it doesn't matter. People, in any stage of life, no matter whether they have much or little, everybody needs help, we are ALL broken, and helping others when you're down – that's what Jesus would do – that's when I know YOU do Kristin. I've been in a little bit of a reach-ish mood lately – it was nice to read this post and be reminded that reach-ish is the way to be. God bless and keep you and each and every one of yours my friend.

Dolly said...

Thank you for serving and for sharing the truth of how God can heal us as we serve.