My sweet friend Angie swept me off of my feet last weekend and shuttled me off to a Joan Hunter conference in New Bern, NC.  The conference was awesome and the icing on the cake was that it was located at one of my favorite churches around:  The Church at New Bern!  Angie was the cherry on top of the icing because she just kept me laughing.  We had so much fun just laughing with each other!

Our trip began with us getting on I40 heading towards New Bern.  It wasn’t long before a HUGE sheet of tinted glass blew off of a workman’s trailer and shattered right in front of us!  Angie was probably driving 70 mph (at least) and before I knew it she was slamming on brakes.  Hey, thankfully the anti-lock brakes worked and we didn’t swerve or slide sideways.  Praise God nobody was close behind us, but there was nothing left to do but drive through the glass.   Several pieces crashed into Angie’s windshield — cracking in it 3 places.   We were in shock!  It all happened so fast!  We finally found a safe place to pull over to check the damage.    Thankfully the tires were perfect!

Psalm 91:5-6
You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

Truly, God protected us!  Angie said there was probably a big angel standing in front of her vehicle with arms folded — blocking the damage.  I believe it!

I originally began this post due to 5 Minute Friday.  Lisa-Jo gave us the prompt FALL to write about, but I figured I’d just write a regular post since I didn’t want to limit myself.

The prompt made me think of my fun weekend because of something Angie said.   We were posing for pictures beside of a big bear planted in front of our hotel and Angie stepped wrong in the loose rocks.  She said, “Oh! I almost fall!” instead of “I almost FELL” and I BURST out laughing!  She didn’t say that on purpose — it just came out in present tense.  Ba ha ha!  So of course, the prompt “fall” would make me think of our silliness.

On a more serious note … we do fall sometimes don’t we?

Just like children run with no fear of falling, we often run through life without weighing consequences.

The longer I live, the more I realize how different I am than a lot of people.  I’m not BETTER than, just different.   I am saved by the same Blood as a murderer and rapist.  I need Jesus just as desperately as the worst of criminals.   But how am I different you may wonder?  I just don’t like things that grieve the Holy Spirit.

Did you know He could be grieved?

Ephesians 4:30
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

My husband and I often try to find family shows about nature (our daughter loves them), but even though the show itself isn’t laden with wickedness, the commercials are.  Shows about mediums, murder, vampires, and witches just seem to be on the rise.    If you have ever been through deliverance or know anything about it — you understand that even things that the world deems as innocent like horoscopes are NOT innocent at all.   We do open our lives up to things that do grieve the Holy Spirit and that do allow demonic oppression.

All humans fall at some point.

That is why we need a Savior.    We can’t save ourselves, nor can the blood of an imperfect animal cover us.

When I was young I was introduced to horoscopes and “my” zodiac sign by my mother.    I have NO DOUBT that she truly thought they were innocent fun, but God taught me otherwise.   Back in the early 90’s when I asked the Holy Spirit to tell me of anything that needed to be removed from my home … I heard in my spirit, “There is a Cosmopolitan Magazine in the bottom of a trunk in the bedroom.”  Do what?  I thought I was making that up, but sure enough I looked at the bottom of an old trunk and there it was.   It was an issue of Cosmopolitan that featured my birthday month and a huge writeup about the zodiac for that month.   You better believe I threw it out of my home!   Many years later during a deliverance session, what had so easily tiptoed into my life unaware was cast out!

We all fall sometimes.

I don’t want to grieve my Friend, Savior, Redeemer, Deliverer, Rock, and Fortress.   Jesus has done so much for me — I just want to please Him, Father God, and the Holy Spirit.  They are all Three in One — each precious to me.

On the way home from our trip to New Bern, Angie and I missed our turn and pulled over to regroup.  I looked out of my window and this was the sign beside of me:

This picture definitely makes us laugh now, but I think there is a message in it.   Every single thing in your life that contradicts what God has for you will lead to a Dead End.    And ultimately, if we leave this earth without giving our lives to Jesus – we will meet the eternal end.

Yes, we all fall — but what do we do?  Do we fall into the world or fall into the arms of a loving God who wants a relationship with us?  When we fall into God’s arms, we repent — He washes us off and sets us back on our feet again.

Do you have anything in your life that grieves the Holy Spirit?
I’m not pointing fingers because I check my own heart too.

If you are reading this post, it is not too late for you to make changes in your life.

Isaiah 55:6
Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.

Thank you for visiting me today!