HIS PRECIOUS JEWEL

Hey Ya'll!

Today I'm joining the gals at Write it Girl and sharing a short story I wrote for 31 Days to Bcome a Better Writer.  Each daily challenge has proven to very informative, tremendously helpful and somewhat challenging and I'm loving it, ya'll!  And it's not too late to jump in....We're only on day 6 today!

Day 3 challenge was to write a story inspired by the picture below.  I pray you are blessed and encouraged as you read.....

His Precious Jewel

The loud intrusion of the Millerton Women's Detention Facility wake-up bell jared Francheska from her slumber.  It was just another lonely, hopeless day in the life of prison inmate #727.  Francheska slowly rubbed the sleep from her eyes and raised her weary body from her jail cell cot and wondered what her future held.  "Help me Lord, help me" she whispered from deep within.  Her sleepy glance fell upon the dog-eared and tear stained Bible that lay at her bedside.  A gentle smile broke upon her forlorn face as she recalled precious moments sitting with her Grandma Sissy and listening to her read the scripture and praying with her.  Grandma Sissy lovingly referred to Francheska as her precious jewel.  "You are a precious jewel to me and to the heart of the Father" Grandma Sissy would tell her.  "Never forget, my darling Francheska, you are a precious jewel".  Hot tears fell upon her cheeks as her heart flooded with sweet memories of days gone by.  They seemed like a lifetime ago now.  "Oh how I miss you Grandma" she sighed.

The Millerton Women's Detention Facility is an ominous multi-story edifice perched high atop the small township of Millerton.. Today was no different than any other wintery day.  The gray concrete structure stood sadly shrouded in a cloak of cold dreary mist.  It's as if the exterior of the structure echoed the lives and hearts of those held captive within.  Captives many of who had fallen prey to drugs, hard living and wrong choices.  

It was a series of wrong places and wrong choices that led Grandma Sissy's "jewel" to this dark place in life.  And it was in this darkness that Francheska fully surrendered and committed her heart and life afresh to Jesus and purposed to follow Him all the days of her life.  

Francheska washed her tear stained face, combed her hair and slipped into her prison issued jumpsuit and readied herself for work but lingered a moment longer to peer out the window of her dark dank cell. As she gazed through the rainy drizzle upon the sleepy town below, she reminisced of happier times when Grandma Sissy called her His jewel.  "Lord, I don't feel like I'm a jewel in your eyes" she whispered with a deep sigh.

Just at that moment her eyes fell upon the row houses below that had gone unnoticed before.  Today, however, through the gloomy mist they shown with the most beautiful vivid hues of purple, green, gold and orange.  They reminded her of a treasure chest of jewels perfectly aligned in a beautiful bracelet.  "Oh, how beautiful" she gasped.  And in that moment from deep within her heart she heard the sweet whisper of the voice of the Father..."Oh, how beautiful you are to me, Francheska...you are my precious jewel...my precious treasure".

Warm tears flowed as she stood in a Holy hush and breathed in His Heavenly presence. Joy and sweet release flooded her soul.  Release from her past and precious assurance that He was with her in her darkest hour and would never leave or forsake her.

The sudden jangle of her jail cell door jolted her from her Divine encounter and she promptly responded to the roll call.  "Francheska cellmate #727!" the officer shouted.  "Francheska cellmate #727, here!" she loudly responded.  And as she stepped out of her cell a gentle smile broke upon her face as she whispered within her heart, "Just call me His Precious Jewel!".

And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts

in that day when I make up my jewels and 

I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

Malachi 3:17

You are His special jewel!

Love and Sweet Blessings!

HIS G.R.I.T.S.!

                                        Lovin' my grits!

 Murphy+my MAC+my Bible+hazelnut coffee+12"of snow!  Priceless!!!

Hey Ya'll!

Today has been one of those quiet days of deep prayerful contemplation for me.  One of those times when you sense the Holy Spirit's leading to slow down and spend time with Him.  Northern Arizona arose this morning to a winter storm front blowing through with snow, wind and frigid temps and staying snuggled up with my Bible and a cup of hazelnut coffee sounded glorious!  As I stood peering into my pantry like a cow at a new gate I was overjoyed to find a packet of instant grits for breakfast!!! You'd thought I'd found buried treasure - forget the carbs and bring on the grits!! Whooo! Hooo!..... Honestly, I didn't even remember it was there!  Ahhh, grits (with butter of course)......the comfort food of choice for every Southern gal, ya'll!

While savoring every spoonful of heavenly grits my thoughts began to amble down memory lane with precious stops along the way reminding me of my upbringing and Godly heritage. I was so moved by this Divine moseying that praise and prayers of gratitude and thanks poured from my heart thanking Him for how gracious and wonderful He has been to me.  As far back as I can remember He has been in the forefront of my life.  His Word and principles have echoed within this Georgia girls heart and mind from my early beginnings and are the Divine mettle that has formed and shaped my life.  He is sooo real to me!

As I'm writing this post, I'm mulling over what sparked my journey today...... a wonderful journey I might add of memories filled with sticky Georgia humidity, kudzu, tall pines, southern drawls, sweet  tea, church services and camp meetings and wooden alters!  Just yesterday as I was awakening, I heard the Holy Spirit whisper the word "new".  I meditated upon "new" all day yesterday and oh, how a simple three letter word can be so powerful (another post, another time).  So, as you can imagine, when today my thoughts were turned back to former days and seasons I was perplexed a bit but enjoyed them none the less because those were times when He graciously and wonderfully laid within my heart and life a foundation that can never be removed or shaken ~ Glory to God!

My life's journey hasn't been without disappointments and heartbreak, BUT through it all I've always found Him Faithful and True ~ my wonderful Savior Jesus!

My sister and I were raised by the most wonderful Godly mom.  My parents divorced when I was pre-school age and let me tell you growing up in the Bible Belt in my generation, coming from a "broken home" was akin to being the black sheep or ugly duckling in the neighborhood, school and church. I'm sad to say that a child from a "broken" Christian home was heaped with condemnation and rejection from even the Church.  Thus I grew up with tremendous rejection and fear of rejection and a skewed understanding of Father God.  It wasn't until later in life that I became REALLY acquainted with our loving Heavenly Father and realized that He wasn't going to condemn or reject me.  He is Love to the core and He loves and longs to pour His love and acceptance upon each and every one of His children.   Jesus healed and delivered me from all of the fear of rejection and self loathing and condemnation many years ago and I am so eternally grateful to Him for setting this girls heart free!  Hallelujah!!

One of my journeying stops today was a place that is still so real to me I can still smell the sawdust and hear the choir singing "I Surrender All" as the preacher gives the alter call.  This wonderful place was where I spent about 10 days of every muggy Georgia July from the time I could crawl.  It is called "Indian Springs Holiness Camp Meeting" in Flovilla, Georgia and to this day is still ablaze with the Spirit of God!!  I can still see the open air tabernacle and the banner above the speakers podium with these words "Holiness Unto the Lord" and smell the freshly hewn sawdust strewn throughout the grounds of this glorious place.  Small rustic cottages and sprawling two story wooden "hotel" buildings with Southern wrap around verandas and open air sleeping porches are scattered across the landscape amid tall Georgia pines and hardwoods draped with moss.  The dining hall overflowing with the fragrant smells of fresh farmers market vegetables and platters of golden fried chicken and biscuits and pitchers of sweet tea.  Long banquet size oak tables surrounded with mis-matched oak chairs awaiting hungry camp-meeting attendees to gather for Grace and a wonderful noon meal.  As a teenager I worked in the dining hall to off-set my Camp Meeting tuition and board.  I remember it like it was yesterday......the Presence of the Holy Spirit flowing freely those ten glorious days.  The times around the alters, lives changed, hearts ignited with His Presence.  Evening prayer meetings were held out on the open air porches or verandas and even as a very young child I remember the Holy Hush as I sat with my Mama....listening and watching as people testified to the goodness of the Lord and entered into deep prayer and intercession or burst into singing!  Those Holy happenings marked my life and forever imprinted upon my heart the Holy "things" of God.

The old hotel where we had evening prayers on the porch.

"Holiness"...... a word we don't hear very often in our churches these days.  I heard sermon, after sermon over those many years at Indian Springs about being set apart or "sanctified" for the Masters use and Holiness unto the Lord.  Not simply in the sense of outward appearance but submitting fully to a true inner work of the Holy Spirit which transforms an ordinary person like you and me into a vessel of honor unto the Lord...a vessel consumed by His Love and Power and a reverential fear of our Mighty God.  It is my humble opinion that the former days of that teaching as led by the Holy Spirit needs to be preached again today.  Honestly, I believe that it's in that "place" of fully submitting every area of our lives unto the Holy Spirit that true freedom resides.  No longer allowing little corners of our heart and life to remain reserved for compromise of any kind!  As believers we must be fully surrendered, fully committed and transformed into a vessel more intensely attune to Him and His leading more than ever

before!  The days ahead are perilous but a life fully ignited by the Holy Spirit and daily following hard after Him is a life of true peace, joy and power!  Hallelujah!

"Stand in the ways and see,

and ask for the old paths,

where the good way is, 

and walk in it;

Then you will find rest for your souls"...

Jeremiah 6:16

So, I guess you could say that I journeyed back with Him today and He reminded me of the "old paths where the good way is"and while being reminded I once again choose to walk in "it"......More fully committed and surrendered to Him than ever before!

I'm going for all I can be in and through Him!  Won't you join me?

HIS Girl Raised in the South! (His G.R.I.T.S.),

 Jackie

HE'S HERE!

It was just another ordinary morning - coffee & raisin bran cereal, and quiet time with the Lord, but as I walked across my kitchen downing the last spoonful of cereal, I heard Him……I heard the Holy Spirit whisper within my heart these words….“He’s here”! As you can imagine, I stopped mid swallow and stood fast not sure what to expect next – I mean honestly, one minute I’m eating raisin bran and the next minute the Voice of Heaven invades my heart and speaks! I must say, however, nothing seemed different - no burning bush, no mighty rushing wind, no bolts of lightening, no glory cloud wafting into my kitchen - everything seemed just the same as it was when I poured coffee and made cereal a few minutes earlier. I looked around once again, my kitty Murphy was still at my feet performing his ritual morning grooming and Maggie our princess kitty was still fast asleep in her basket on the hearth. Nothing seemed different, BUT I just had a Divine encounter and that changes everything!

I didn’t hear another word – but those two anointed words set my heart and mind in an immediate pursuit for more of His heart and presence. I meditated on this encounter and rolled those Divine words over and over again in my heart and mind inquiring of the Holy Spirit “Why - Why did He speak this”? Why not say “He’s there” instead of “He’s here”?……Did I misunderstand? I mean, “He’s there” brings immediate encouragement to my heart regarding prayers and concerns I’ve brought before Him. “He’s there” would stir comfort, gratitude and praise that “He’s there” in the midst of this situation or that situation, etc. But why “He’s here”? I reminded the Holy Spirit (as if He didn’t know, duh!) - I know He’s here – He promised to never leave me nor forsake me ~ Praise God! All morning long I contemplated and prayed about this encounter, still knowing in my heart I heard “He’s here”.

One thing I’ve learned in this Spirit led walk is that when a word is impressed upon my heart, though I may not have immediate understanding of the “why or what for”, this precious word from the heart and mind of the Father will be that one word, perfectly seasoned and perfectly timed for someone………someone like you and someone like me!

So, I took my journal and penned those precious words,“He’s Here”, and began writing a list – a list of praise to Him – a list of what “He’s Here” means to me:

“He’s Here”

Lord, thank you……thank you for being here,

right here, right now, every moment, every hour, every day, every month,

year after year

through every season of my life you are here!

Closer than my next breath,

Closer than my next heartbeat,

I will never forget to remind myself of those words,

“He’s here”!

When life’s pressures weigh heavy upon my heart and mind, I’ll always remember to say

“He’s here”!

You will always and forever be right here and You and You alone will always be my:

Hero, Savior, King

Deliverer

Healer

Defender

Rescuer

Might Fortress

Provider

Lifter of my head

Encourager

Friend

Lover of my soul

Burden Remover and Yoke Destroyer

Ever present help

Way Maker

And my list continues on and on and on………………..

Glory to God!

Beloved, those words, those Divine words from Heaven “He’s Here” are for you and me.Wherever you are today and whatever you are going through, the Holy Spirit is whispering to you through this post “He’s Here”. Oh yes - “He’s in the midst of you”, “He’s on the scene”! You are never out of His sight, always surrounded by His embrace ~ you are His delight………....

The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His Love, He will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17

I encourage you to just whisper these words....."Thank you Jesus, You are Here" and reach out to Him as He holds you close and tell Him all that He is to you, right now, right here.....pour out your heart upon Him and let Him minister to your deepest need and heart cry!.........He's here!

Sweet Blessings!