This is the Lord’s day! If you are feeling overwhelmed by this world, fear not for our God is still in control. He allows free will and for some that is a free pass for evil but that is not how this ends. Please stay strong. Please do not give up. Please do not harden your heart. Our God is truly an awesome God and He loves His children. This is temporary. His love is eternal. Do not grow faint, for now is the time to be warriors. God is with you and will not forsake you. He promised that to us in His word. He will not go back on that…He is ever faithful my friend.

By Lois Hewitt

In my quest for better health, I have become quite the water drinker. I grew up with Coke in the glass bottles. In fact, that’s all I ever remember drinking. I didn’t drink milk and definitely never water. We had a well growing up and I can still taste the iron and whatever else was in the water. Yuck!

As I got older, I realized that was not healthy so I switched almost exclusively to iced tea. That was made with water so I figured it as healthy. It’s amazing how much stuff they put in unsweetened iced tea. I found after a while the tea was making me sick.

What was I left with? Water. I started drinking bottled water only. But that is very bad for the environment, inconvenient for cooking and, not to mention, really expensive. I used to work for a water processing company so I knew about filtration options and ended up with a reverse osmosis unit.

Now all I had to do was start liking the taste of water. I will be honest, it did take a while. I was used to heavily sweetened food and drinks with lots of additives, so water was painfully bland to begin with.

Now other than my cup of coffee in the morning and the occasional cup of hot tea, I am all about the water. I drink a certain amount every two hours in order to make sure I hit my quota. My lungs, skin, liver, kidneys, brain and literally everything else are happy.

It’s the same way with God’s word. It gives life. That is why it is called the Living Water. Our body needs the inspiration from the Word, along with the guidance. The Word fills every part of your body and soul. Without it, you would become sluggish and stagnant.

When I did not drink enough water, the functions of my body are bogged down. They barely work and forget about working efficiently. The same is true of God’s word, you need it to function.

Let me explain something about the beginning decades of my Christian walk. I read the Bible in snigglets. I like the happy, perky verses and left the others alone. I read the New Testament though but did not glean a lot of understanding from it. You might say, reading the Bible was an acquired taste for me.

But once I committed to it, the Holy Spirit allowed me to start understanding it. The taste went from bland to sweet. I still am working on a consistent plan for reading my Bible. Just like drinking water, the more of it I consume the more I want.

Every once in a while, I will cheat and eat or drink something I should stay away from. I go off my path. After doing that, it can take a little while to adjust to water again. So it is with sin. You can be doing great reading your Bible and off the path you go (it will happen as it happens to everyone) and for a time you may have lost your taste for it. Get back on the path and you will find that refreshment again.

We all must remember that we are all flawed and we will drink a Coke or eat a burger or whatever bumps us off the path. Just go back to the One who loves you and fill yourself with The Living Water. You will find comfort and peace. Your soul will be satisfied. I pray you feel God’s love for you today and are quenched from His word.

By Lois Hewitt

Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure. These are words I will never forget. We were so far behind on our house payments that the likelihood of ever getting caught up again was basically zero. I was looking around at the prospect of losing the house my parents transferred to me. I was looking at forfeiting any inheritance for my sisters. I was looking at having no where to live.

This process actually gives the deed to your house back to the bank. You clean it out and leave. That’s what we did. All the impressive trinkets I wasted so much money on either got donated or thrown away. All the things I thought could save us, turned out no one wanted. The house was a shambles for lack of upkeep. It actually got torn down I saw on Google Earth.

Long gone was any savings or retirement. The only money we left with was given to us by friends, family and even a few strangers. When I say it was all gone, I mean all except the few things that fit in our car.

Those weeks we drove around the country trying to find our place and sleeping in the car or a tent, left me incapacitated. I wanted out from under it all but I had no real plan.

Fast forward eight, somewhat long, years and a new life has started. Lessons have been learned about soulless spending and hoarding. Lessons have been learned regarding starting all over again in your 50s. Lessons have been learned about what really matters.

The other night I made root beer floats for Mike and myself. I’m cutting down on sugar but it was a nice treat. Boy did it taste good. My glasses are Mason jars from jam we have eaten. The furniture we sat on belongs to our landlords. We have learned that less is truly more.

A sweet treat tastes better at home served with love and laughter. Being aware of spending feels better than hiding purchases. Going without is not a punishment.

Our old house was way too big. Because of that, and a lot of other things, it was full of strife. Our rented space today is way smaller but it overflows with love.

I used to ruminate about the things I lost. But today I see that I was more lost when I had more stuff. Today I don’t feel a longing for things. I am happy with the things I have. But more importantly my heart is full of gratitude, love and humility.

I could never have dreamed of this new life. I would have feared the happiness and joy that surrounds it. Many times in my life I thought God had not answered my prayers. In reality, He answered them in a new and better way.

Less is truly more in my life today. My heart overflows. No greater gift could I ask for.

By Lois Hewitt

I don’t even know where to start. The last few weeks have been a wild ride. Not like driving the Tail of the Dragon or parasailing in the Outer Banks. But a spiritual wild ride that I never dreamed would happen.

This year I really wanted to kick up my spiritual game. I’ve been a baby Christian for decades. Riddled with a history of trying but quitting when it got too hard. This year was going to be different. So I signed up for an online Bible study and I started off.

As I did this study, I got filled and excited and I could not wait till the next time I could study. I learned more in a short time then I did in my Christian walk so far. Lights were going on, ideas were flowing, I had understanding and it was amazing. I was feeling great.

Then a month or so ago, the amazing feeling started to subside. My sleep was interrupted and I felt physically unwell. I knew something was wrong but I could not pinpoint it. Each morning, I thought this is the day I don’t make it through.

My brain was foggy, so much I will be finding mistakes from work for some time. I saw things that weren’t there. I mixed up words and forgot important things. I wondered if I had a stroke or something.

A couple of times I thought I might have to go to the emergency room but I had no words to describe what was wrong. I tried to explain it to my husband but all I could come up with was that I didn’t feel right.

I kept going to work, cleaning and cooking but my only thoughts were when I could go lay down. That was all I wanted. Yet when it was time to sleep I would awaken to thoughts of past deeds and horrible words I had said. I remembered things long since buried deep in my soul.

I was miserable in a way I had never felt before and hopeless to figure it out. This continued for several weeks. My fatigue and brain fog growing ever more deep.

Then this morning came. I woke up exhausted as usual but I felt different. I had an understanding inside me that made me realize it was the evil one who was testing me. For lack of a better description, I felt as if I had gone through some sort of spiritual chemotherapy.

What I mean is my sin was my disease. Lots of things never resolved. The trial was a painful cure that seemed worse than the disease.

You see, when I started to get better, really better, the enemy could not have that. He throw all kinds of things at me…guilt, regret, unease, discomfort, fear, doubt and physical pain. A small part of me even started doubting the Bible wondering how it could be real. I lost myself for those weeks.

I cannot even explain how lost I felt. But then God said enough because even though I may have had a small part of me doubt, a larger part was just clinging to God and praying for something, anything.

He delivered me from that test. I know it’s not like a physical test of an illness or accident. But the pain was real. I have spent my life dealing with depression, this was not that. I was clinging onto a flotation device with all my hope slipping away.

But today is different. Today is a victory. Today I feel like me again only stronger. This trial was unlike any I have had before. I said I have seen God’s hand on my life before but never to this extent.

I guess the moral to this story is to never give up. The old me would have thrown in the towel so fast. This time I just prayed (when I could find words to pray) and hung on. And God was faithful to me!

I am sure more things about this wilderness time will be revealed. I saw how the devil can take over but I also saw how God can pull back the reins and stop the ride.

Don’t give up. Oh how I wanted to, but I didn’t. Get close to God read His word, trust what it says and He will calm the storms and bring back the light. You just have to be standing on His solid ground.

By Lois Hewitt

Many of us, including myself, are people pleasers. Which means that sometimes we get into situations that are not healthy for us just because we do not want to upset anyone.

I’m in a situation like that right now. I have been asked to assist in an activity that I have no business doing. I politely said no and explained myself and thought that was the end. Then I was asked again.

Now the doubt and the guilt starts. I began over thinking my decision and started assuming I was a terrible person and an even worse Christian. What kind of person does not help their fellow man? How selfish can you be? I was beating myself up like being in the ring with Mike Tyson.

I went online and looked for advice for this situation. Everything pointed to just saying no. No is a complete sentence. I have even given that advice myself. The problem is that it is easier said than to actually do.

If you are a caring person, “no” is a hard line to draw. You may know that a situation is just not good for you but you still do not want to hurt the other person. You then start to doubt your motives. Thinking you are just being selfish. Next thing you know you are the bad guy.

As a Christian, I feel doubly bad because I think about what Jesus would actually do. I strive to be more like Him but am I wrong?

My first mistake was to look outside the Bible for advice. I honestly thought that my situation wasn t covered in the Bible. I was wrong. When I looked I saw times when Jesus said “no” when He walked the earth. When the crowds got too large at the Sea of Galilee, He had to remove Himself. And Jesus has said no to me plenty of times which always worked for my good.

I’m not saying that I am even close to bring in the same position as Jesus, not even close. But no where does it say that we are to solve every problem. Or that we are to be on call all the time. Yes, we are called to care for our fellow man but not every situation is one we can resolve. Some situations are not even in our ability to assist with.

Saying no may cause hard feelings. That is unfortunate. We never go looking for that outcome. But if the situation is not one that is in your skill set, being honest is the best path. Many times I said yes only to get angry and then nothing is resolved at all.

So the conclusion I have come to is that I have certain gifts and lack others. I am learning to say no to the ones I lack skills in. I have learned through an extreme number of disappointments what I am capable of and not.

I have grown tired of disappointing myself, others and Jesus. Some times it is just best to say no up front. It is NEVER easy but it can make things better in the long run.

My unanswered prayers serve as a reminder that sometimes no is the best answer even if it hurts for a while. We are not called to be everything to everyone. I want to do those things where I can actually make a positive difference.

I’m still working on this. I will let you know if I come up with a better answer. Until then, I will pray and do my best. That’s all we can do.

By Lois Hewitt

Many of my past posts have dealt with my previously unhealthy obsession with food. My days were filled with thoughts of where would my next meal come from. My preference was ALWAYS fast food. Where would I get the money for that next meal? How could I get it without anyone knowing?

It was truly unhealthy and not only physically but fiscally and emotionally also. Every time I binged on a greasy, salt and preservative laden meal, I would swear off it. But I always did it again.

My health was always bad. My skin pale and thin, my hair falling out, my emotions all over the place, my anger uncontrollable, my bank account empty and all I ever wanted to do was sleep. Yet, I was addicted to it all and could not even imagine stopping. My taste buds were so perverted that real food was putrid to me.

Fast forward to the lockdown where I forced myself to make a change. I was so weak at the time I had to use a cane to get around. I wasn’t even 60 years old yet.

Now the thought of eating like that makes my stomach turn. The process is ever evolving and now my sights are eliminating as much processed food as possible. My health has increased and my life is so much better.

So it is with the Christian life. The closer you get to God, the more the world is putrid to you.

Like with food, I have preferred a more worldly, unhealthy if you will, lifestyle. I was used to live in the darkness of my addictions and compulsions. I liked spending money that I did not have on things that I did not need. I loved my cigarettes and my beer. I loved the horrible food I was fueling my body with. I was comfortable in my discomfort. My depression was my friend.

You see, when you live in the shadows, the light scares you. Just like when you dust the house and the sun shines in and you see all the places you missed. The light shows the flaws Aka sins. You cannot hide from it when the light is shining.

As I started to eat better and live more intentionally, I found myself feeling like I was still missing something. I had a longing for a missing component. I would listen to music about drug addiction and depression. I would watch movies with excessive violence and foul language. I scrolled the internet with its disturbing images of random violence. All the time wondering why I wasn’t totally healing.

One day I started a Bible study, then I started having a regular prayer time, then I started to listen to Gospel music instead of grunge. I started reading the Word. My taste in movies, television and books changed. The ones I thought I loved, the ones that were depleting me became putrid. I had lost my taste for them.

I used to swear like a dock worker with a hangover. Suddenly the words tasted bad in my mouth. Suddenly I no longer wanted to see the violent images. Suddenly I wanted my soul nourished instead of depleted.

These are all changes I never thought I would or could make. I felt my ties to earthly things were strong. What I did not realize was that God’s ties are stronger, His truth sweeter and His love deeper.

My life has changed so much and in so many ways. I used to be fearful of being a Bible thumper. I used to think being a Christian was so uncool. I believed the world’s lies. But now I live in the light. Oh how glorious it is! Is everything finally perfect? No. But God loves me in a perfect way and that is a gift sweeter than sugar, more fulfilling than buying stuff and gets me higher than alcohol.

The old things die and are replaced with a glory beyond comprehension. Don’t be afraid of the light, like I was. It’s a little uncomfortable at first but God has a reward for you that is more precious than gold.