Grief to Sorrow

On April 19, 2025 By vickleaIn promises, Scripture3 Comments

The world cannot understand the attitude of Christians when someone dies. It is our belief that death is not the end of life but a new beginning, so we mourn the fact that our dear one is no longer with us, but we celebrate their new life with the Lord if they were believers. I can only imagine the devastation of the disciples when Jesus was crucified. We have the Bible to read and encourage us, including the testimony in the New Testament of all who saw the Savior alive again after the Resurrection. They had to truly believe without any evidence except their wholehearted faith in who Jesus was and all of the miracles that they had seen Him perform. I think it would have been an especially difficult time, filled with fear and doubt and a feeling of “now what.” Three days later came the rejoicing, but what a tumultuous three days those must have been, with emotions churning and fear attacking constantly.

No matter what face in life and in death, there is always hope. Jesus made sure that we knew that when He encouraged us that our grief would become joy. In the Old Testament, there are passages that say our mourning turns to dancing and our sorrow turns to singing. How can we do anything less than worship when our eternity is secure because of the sacrifice of the Lord?

I like this graphic that I found online. It perfectly describes what death should be to each of us. Yes, we mourn, but as Paul said, we don’t mourn as the world mourns because we know death is a new beginning, not a complete ending. I don’t know what Heaven is like or the experience of death, but I do trust the Father to be with me when I die and that He has prepared a place for me to be with Him. After all, He promised and He always keeps His promises. (Numbers 23:19)

So, if you are going through a period of grief this Saturday before Easter, remember that the Lord promised that joy is coming. I have found since the years that I lost various loved ones and my best friend to that enemy called death, I can look forward to a day of total joy when I am reunited with them and never have to say “good-bye” again.

Not the End of the Story

On October 9, 2024 By vickleaIn Scripture, YouVersion App2 Comments

Anyone who knows me knows that I really enjoy reading. I read for pleasure and for knowledge. I read because it takes me away to places I will never be able to go and visit with people I would like to get to know in real life. Sometimes, the books I read have an ending that leave me surprised with a revelation that I didn’t see coming. Other times, I cry at the bitter sweetness of an ending where all did not live “happily ever after.” Did you know that God is writing our story, day by day? And we can already know the ending if we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Our lives are barreling quickly towards our ultimate destiny…death. But that is not the end of the story. Our story has an epilogue that makes this life worth living. Our epilogue is that after death we have eternal life to look forward to, a new Heaven, a new earth and being with God forever. The end of our story is not meant to be a sad or bitter one full of regrets that we have to leave the earth behind. It is one of hope and promise that what we are going toward is so much better than what we leave behind. So, while I read for pleasure, I live for God, because He is writing my story and He has planned a glorious future for me with Him!

The Truth About Death

No matter what part of this planet you live on, how well you take care of your body, or how much money is in your bank account, there is no escaping death.

Sound a little depressing? Sure. But there’s still good news! Really, really good news.

For those who belong to Christ, we have a hope that’s beyond this world…

“The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Death is the greatest tool of our enemy, which is why Jesus came to defeat it. That’s why He became human, took the ultimate punishment, and put death in its rightful place—under the authority and dominion of God.

Yes, life is fleeting, but death is only temporary. And the Spirit of God can do what no human can—give life to the lifeless and redeem what has been lost.

The truth about death is that it’s not the end of the story.

Soon, God will wipe away every tear and make all things new. Just as a baby is given the miraculous and mysterious breath of life, His Spirit will revive the seemingly perished and bring the dead back to life.

Death is not the end of the story. For all who belong to Christ, that is the really, really good news.

Memorial Day

On May 26, 2024 By vickleaIn Holidays, Scripture1 Comment

Jesus gave His life for us to have eternal life and He knew that the sacrifice He made showed His great love for mankind. Let us remember this Memorial Day to honor those who died. My husband is still alive, and he knows that Memorial Day is not to honor him but rather the untold thousands in graves here in the U.S. and in Europe who gave their all to safeguard our freedom.

Resting in Peace

On November 1, 2023 By vickleaIn Scripture6 Comments

Patty went home this morning about 2:00 a.m. She is no longer in pain and we who know and love her trust that she is at rest at last. All of us will one day face a final breath, a final look at a loved one, a final clasp of loving hands and a final kiss. Then, our soul will be no more in this body on this earth, but we will be with our Father in Heaven who has prepared for us and knows exactly when to expect us to come to Him.

We don’t know when the hour will be, but we know that every person will die in some way at some time. My prayer for each of you is that you are as prepared to meet God as He is to welcome you.

Life Watch

On October 31, 2023 By vickleaIn Scripture3 Comments

Our son’s mother-in-law was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer a month ago and given only a few months to live. Last night, our son contacted us to tell us that his wife was heading to PA as her mom was not expected to survive long. So began what I was calling the “death watch.” But, in all actuality, Patty is a dear believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, so it should be a “life watch.” She will be leaving this earthly life soon, with all of the trials and pain that she has had recently, and entering into a new life with her Lord and Savior. We here who know and love her will miss her face, her cheerful demeanor all the time and her sweet cards that she sends. But we are not without hope that we will see her again someday.

Our son contacted us again this morning and told me that Iris, our autistic granddaughter, is having a rough day because her mom was not there to put her on the bus. If you know anything about autistic children, they crave routine and get very upset if that routine is disrupted. A few weeks ago, my husband had to go to the school to get Iris because she would not stop wandering the halls, crying and screaming and refusing to be consoled. Although we live over an hour away, Harry rushed to be there for Iris, took her out of school and spent the day consoling her. Why was she so distraught? I think it was because she had been spending every weekend saying “goodbye” to her grandma and she didn’t understand or like what was happening. So, prayers for Iris and all of the family would be appreciated at this time. We are waiting now for the next communication to tell us how we can help and what our son wants us to do for them. I have done laundry in anticipation of traveling. My husband is going to pick up medications that he needs before we travel. Meanwhile, we are praying. I am praying that Patty’s deep physical suffering is not extended and that the God of all comfort will be right there beside Melissa and her other family members. I especially pray for her dad, a humble and loving man who has spent over seventy years with Patty.

Again, we are not without hope because we know that God has provided eternal life for those of us who believe in Him and accept His free gift of salvation. But it is never easy to say farewell, so for that reason I ask for prayers from anyone who believes.

The following are the verses that God gave me this morning to comfort and strengthen me. If you are facing the loss of a loved one, may they also comfort you as you realize the truth of God’s word stands forever.

Don’t Be Afraid

On May 6, 2023 By vickleaIn Scripture6 Comments

Did you know that the Bible has verses about fear for each day of the year? Yes, 365 times, the Holy Bible tells us not to be afraid and what to do if we are.

Looking around at all that is happening in today’s world, it’s hard not to be anxious. In our study of Revelation at church and then again in my devotional today, I have decided to cling to this verse. I may never be persecuted or thrown into prison or face the death of a martyr. But, if it happens, God has already given me the answer. DON’T BE AFRAID. I don’t know how to interpret the entire verse, whether the ten days is literal or not or whether the church as a whole will suffer great persecution. But what I do know is that God says not to be afraid and that we will receive from Him the crown of life. What is that? It’s the eternal rest with Him that awaits us after our sojourn on earth has ended. However we die, whenever we die, I think that everyone has an element of fear because death is an unknown. But God tells us not to be afraid. Jesus went before us and conquered the last enemy, death, so that we should not be afraid of death but we know that on the other side, the Lord waits for us to give us eternity with Him.

So, this verse seems to be almost a paradox. God tells us not to be afraid but David says in the Psalms when I am afraid. He doesn’t use the word “if” that has the connotation that it may or may not happen. He uses the conjunction “when” denoting that is will happen. And when it does, David has already determined that he will put his trust in God. I think that is good advice for all of us. We need to determine in advance that when we are fearful, we will put our trust in God. God is our stable anchor in a storm-tossed sea and He is the One who places us on solid ground. That is a verse to hold on to…facing death as a martyr? I don’t have that train ticket yet because God hasn’t given it to me, but if I need it, He will provide it and I am confident that He will be with me through whatever the future holds. Like David, I will trust in God.

The Plague that Brings Death

On March 25, 2023 By vickleaIn Scripture4 Comments

Now that the hysteria about Covid-19 seems to be dying down, I want to address a plague that is even worse than Covid or the Black Death or anything that the earth has seen as deadly and dangerous. That plague is the plague of accepting sin as normal and this acceptance leads to certain eternal death and separation from God. No matter what we call sin, it is still wrong in God’s eyes and He will one day judge all of it. We have nice names so that what we are doing wrong doesn’t sound so bad. Abortion is a “necessary procedure”, fornication is “hooking up” and adultery is “playing around.” Even homosexuality is called by a euphemism, “switching teams.” God just calls all of it sin and it has become a plague that is destroying society and our values as we have known them. What was once seen as sinful is now accepted and the current mantra is not to judge others, just let them be, accept others the way they are, etc. Unfortunately, that attitude of letting others just live with their own sin leads to devastating consequences for the entire society. The more we normalize sin, the more rampant it becomes and the actions become even more outrageous. So, what is a Bible-believing Christian to do?

In this chapter in Numbers, the Israelites had once again sinned and God’s response was to judge them with a plague. Korah had rebelled against the leadership of Moses and his punishment was to be swallowed up by the earth. The people did not learn from that judgment from God because the very next day, they started mumbling and complaining about what had happened to Korah. God wanted to just wipe them out, but Aaron and Moses stood in the gap and asked God to have mercy. In the verse above, Aaron stood between those who were dead and those who were still alive, with a burning censer and a prayer on his lips for mercy, and God spared most of the people. However, almost 15,000 died because of this rebellion against the leadership that God had established, which was really a rebellion against God Himself. The Israelites are much like people today. They thought they knew more than God and were able to judge what God was doing in their midst. Think about that. Does anyone know more than God? Of course not! But in their arrogance and lack of right thinking, they proudly rebelled and paid a high price.

I believe that the high price of today’s sin is coming and as Christians, we need to stand in the gap as much as possible, pleading for God’s mercy, that some might accept the truth and live. God will not always be willing to look at the sin on the earth and just shake His head with sorrow. One day, His wrath will unfold and it will be a “great and terrible day,” especially for those who have turned from Him and decided that they have no rules to follow or moral code to govern them. So, I implore you to pray daily for God’s mercy and to pray specifically for specific people who need to know and accept the truth. Speak in love to them as God leads you, tell them the truth of God’s Word. Trying to scare them with God’s coming judgment won’t work because they simply don’t fear God, But perhaps they will listen to the sound of love. Be an Aaron in the midst of the camp of rebels and work earnestly to save as many as you can with the message of God’s truth and salvation. The plague that is coming brings eternal death; some will say that it is already here or God’s judgment has already begun. I don’t believe that because my belief is that when God judges, we will all know it, much as the Israelites did when the earth swallowed Korah and then the plague had the rebels dropping dead. What is happening in the earth today is a natural consequence of our disobedience and utter disregard for the Creator and the moral compass that He put inside us. We cannot turn the tide against the evil but we can stand in the gap and in so doing perhaps lead some to safety with the Lord.

Have a blessed day and may you never hesitate to stand in the gap and be an “Aaron” in a world filled with rebels against God.

God Finishes What He Starts

On March 3, 2023 By vickleaIn Scripture4 Comments

If you are like me, you have numerous projects that you began but never completed. I used to crochet, back before arthritis made it too difficult, and I would start one project for one grandchild and another for another one and eventually, maybe, finish one. I had yarn for my first five grandchildren, but I only completed the blankets for three of them. I ended up giving the yarn away to a friend from church who loves to crochet so I knew that she would actually use it. I have started projects with coloring pages, projects to organize my books, and others that just never got done. I’m more than a little in awe that God always finishes what He starts.

Whereas I tend to get distracted by the next thing to do on my list, God always has His eye on all of His “projects” and He continues to work diligently to bring them to completion. God started a good work in me fifty years ago on February 28th, and He is still working hard to help me to be the person He created me to be.

The ultimate goal is eternity with Him, and our Sovereign Lord has prepared the way for us to escape death by saving us from it, daily. He continues to work with us to keep us out of the abyss and headed in the right direction. I don’t know about you, but I am so thankful that God hasn’t given up on me and never will. That’s how dedicated He is to His creation and to His purpose to establish a lasting relationship with each of us!

Have a blessed day and I hope that you will be aware of God’s working in your life today and every day.

Choices

On October 14, 2022 By vickleaIn Dr. Denison’s Forum, Quotation and Citations, Scripture, Song4 Comments

The inspiration for today’s post came from Dr. Denison’s Forum on October 13, 2022. You can read the entire article here: Dr. Denison’s Forum, 10-13-22

This is kind of a different way of saying “What would Jesus do?” But this quotation made me ponder deeply. None of us knows when we will take our last breath, so it’s worth noting that our choices might be different if we had an inkling that our end is imminent. Food for thought, for sure!

We definitely learn from our choices, both good and bad. I think of life as a test with a steep learning curve. It is up to us to use what we have learned to grow spiritually so that we don’t continue to make the same mistakes over and over. It is not a coincidence that the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years; they made bad choices and didn’t learn from them. God was patient in continuing to lead them, in my opinion. It’s a good thing that He is also patient with me because sometimes I get stubbornly stuck in trying to force Him to accept my way instead of accepting that His way is best.

Yes, we make choices daily and those choices have consequences, but I go back to the first question that I asked. “Would you change what you are about to do if you knew it would be the last thing you would do?” Think about it as you listen to the song below. If you read the “Forum” article, you know that this is the last song that a twenty-three year old sang before he died in an accident. May we ever be mindful that tomorrow is not a promise, but a gift.

“You Are My Hiding Place”-Selah

Never Separated

On August 21, 2022 By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

When I was a young bride and married less than six months, my husband’s ship moved from Virginia to South Carolina. I was under contract to teach in Virginia, so I had to stay there while my new husband moved to South Carolina. About a month after he moved, I got the welcome but unexpected surprise that I was pregnant. So, I was living alone, pregnant for the first time and feeling somewhat lonely. We had a church home in Virginia and the people there were great, encouraging me and helping me when I needed it. The Scripture verse for today is what helped me get through eight months of being separated from Harry.

When I read it in my devotional this morning, I recalled all of the times that Harry was gone and I said this verse, knowing that although I could not see him, Jesus was right there with me, keeping me company and offering comfort when I needed it. The USN could and did separate me from my husband, but nothing could separate me from Jesus! There were many more separations between Harry and me after that because the USN has a tendency to send sailors to sea. I would move to a new place and he would go to sea. I was left alone, with small children, to find friends and a new place in that new world. But I always knew that Jesus was with me and would help me get through another move and more changes. I don’t know what I would have done without knowing that the Lord was right by my side because I am very shy and introverted, so making friends was difficult, but Jesus led me to the right places and the right people, always letting me know that I was accepted already by Him.

Now that I am older, the first part of the verse has deep significance for me. Death cannot separate me from Jesus either! He has been with me for the last fifty plus years and when I die, I get to go be where He went before me, to prepare a place for me. Just as Harry went to South Carolina first and had a home ready for me when I moved (I was nine months pregnant then), Jesus has gone before me to Heaven and has prepared a place for me. He is just waiting for me to join Him when the time is right.

Vickie's Book Nook and Meditation Corner

Tag: death