Inspirations from the Funny Farm

Hebrews 6:1 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God.

Acts 17:28 For in him we live and move and have our being.’

Philippians 3:13-14 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

A few years ago, I decided that I was going to run my first 5K. Let me begin by saying that it wasn’t a very smart idea to decide to run my first 5K in my early 40s! As with anything I do though, I began training with all that I had. I started running back and forth to Pop Hill Road which is 3.2 miles roundtrip from my house. I ran 5-6 mornings per week for over 3 months. The big day finally came, and I ran the race. It was a June morning in Mississippi. The humidity was about 499%, and it was so HOT! I thought I would die, but that little voice in my head kept pushing me on to the finish line. I actually won first place in my age group, but I was by no means first. The guy that finished first beat me by a whole seven minutes! That 5K taught me two things. First of all, I don’t like running. Give me a fast paced walk any day of the week, and I’m your girl, but running, no thank you! Second, I am not a quitter. I kept running forward even though it was hotter than blue blazes, and I thought I might literally melt into the asphalt, but I didn’t quit. I finished. I got the prize., and now it’s collecting dust somewhere upstairs.

Sometimes in life we have trouble moving forward. We get caught up in our past, and we keep revisiting the old. Don’t get me wrong, reminiscing can be a joyful thing to do, but we can’t live there in our past. Sometimes we get stuck in a rut. We feel like we’ve messed up so bad that we can’t dig our way out. Or perhaps we feel like the sin we are in is too big or too bad to move away from. Maybe we think that we’ve messed our lives up so bad that God doesn’t want us anymore. Well, my friend, let me tell you, we can not do anything that can’t be forgiven by our loving Father except denying Him.

We have to move forward by becoming mature followers of Christ. We must recognize our sins, admit them, and ask repentance. When we do this, we truly move forward, and we must continue in that forward movement towards the finish line. Life is one great big adventure, but it’s not just an adventure. Every day is a new opportunity to get things right, a new opportunity to serve Christ, and another chance to learn more about Christ and to grow closer in our walk with Him. With each passing day that our wonderful God creates, we are given one more chance to move forward towards Him, and one more chance to move closer to the finish line. My goal now is making it to the eternal finish line: heaven. I already know I won’t be first. It’s not that kind of race. I do want to finish well though. I want to arrive at those pearly gates knowing that I trained well here on earth, I studied the Word, I shared the gospel, and I served my Lord and Savior. It seems that everything in life is a race, but there is only one race that has eternal consequences. Are you running towards Christ today? I can hardly wait to get to that finish line! Oh, what a prize that will be!

Matthew 7:12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

Luke 6:31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

Mark 12:31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.

Whether you were raised in church or not, you have probably been taught the golden rule since early childhood. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. It’s actually biblically based coming from Matthew 7 and Luke 6, and these words were spoken to us by Jesus. It ought to be easy enough for us to do this. We can treat people like we want to be treated, right?

Oh, but human nature tends to get in the way. Someone hurts us, so we want to hurt them. It’s all about getting even, holding a grudge, or even suing someone who wronged us. And we don’t just want to get even, we want everyone to know about the mean thing that was done to us. We start gossiping and telling everyone we can what so and so did to us and how angry we are. We want sympathy for the wrong that’s been done, or we just want everyone to be as angry as we are about the situation as we are.
Whoa, wait a minute, I thought we were doing unto others as we want them to do unto us. I don’t want people hurting me, gossiping about me, or being angry with me. I don’t want to be the bad guy that everyone is talking about. Ouch! There it is. Breaking that simple rule is so easy.

It’s hard to treat others as we want to be treated, but it is the right thing to do. It’s not only right, it’s the christian/biblical thing to do. Matthew 22:37-39 tells us : “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Jesus tells us to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and then love your neighbor as yourself. He commands us to love: love God, love others. It’s easy to get mad and get even. It takes a little more effort to turn the other cheek when we get angry or hurt, but it actually feels so much better. Anger and bitterness will burn an ugly hole in our being and sooner or later that ugliness will rear its ugly head. If we are truly living for Christ, we have to truly live like Christ, and living like Christ is living with love for others…all others…even those others that hurt us, made us mad, or those that we just find really hard to like. We have to learn to forgive and forget. Forgiveness sets us free! If we learn to have a forgiving attitude, we aren’t holding on to grudges and anger, and we can get on with enjoying life the way God truly wants us to enjoy it. Living out the golden rule will lead to immeasurable blessings! Be blessed today!

Zechariah 13:9 This third I will put into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.'”

Job 23:10 But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.

Psalm 66:10 For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried.

With graduations occurring all around us, today I’m reflecting on high school days and college days and tests. Uggh. Tests! I used to have really bad test anxiety in school. I’m not kidding, y’all, it was BAD! It took time, but I gradually learned how to work the test anxiety to my favor, and I thank God for giving me a photographic memory. I was able to visualize my notes or the text that I needed to recall. However, I didn’t learn to study until I went to college. Boy was that a struggle! There were tests in high school, tests in college, and it seems like there have been “life” tests every day since.

Psalm 66:10 says that God tests us like silver. In order to purify silver and make it shiny and beautiful, it has to go through a series of firings to literally burn off everything that isn’t actually silver. After it has all been melted down, the silversmith blows air through it to blow off anything else that isn’t pure silver, and the end result is beautiful shiny, pure silver without any additives such as soil, dirt, or grime.

We all hate to be tested and tried. This past year has seemed like a really big test for many of us, we weren’t prepared for the test, and we still aren’t sure we will pass the test! Are we going to have a job? Are the bills going to get paid? Will we have enough food? Are we going to run out of toilet paper, gas, or whatever the latest shortage is? A virus has run rampant through our nation, and we all feel like we are in the fire. There is good news though! No matter how bad things look, God is still good, and God is still on the throne. When we look at the test, we get anxious. We worry about the outcome. We try to prepare. We worry about getting burned by the fire, but instead of looking at the test we need to focus on the Teacher. We need to remember that the testing and trying will serve to bring out the beauty in us. It will strengthen us. It will purify us. And most importantly, it teaches us to rely on the Creator rather than ourselves.

I always hated tests in school, but I always learned from them. If I missed a question, I never forgot the answer to that question ever again! I learned from my mistakes, and I took that knowledge with me. The same goes for real life. When we are tested or tried, we will make mistakes, but we learn from them, we grow from them, and we become a better person. So the next time you feel like you are in the fire, just remember that you are not there to get burned but rather you are getting purified so that you can come out as beautiful as silver and as strong as gold! Lean on the Teacher and learn from the test!

I Samuel 24:4-6 The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.”
10-11 This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the Lord’s anointed.’ See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cutoff the corner of your robe but did not kill you.

Is there anybody in your life that you just want to cut off, get rid of, say “see ya”? If we’re being truthful, the answer has to be yes. There are friends, loved ones, and even enemies who have wronged us or hurt us in ways that seem to be unforgivable. Our human nature is to get mad and get even, or get mad and cut them out of our lives.

This scripture is a clip from I Samuel 24. I urge you to read the whole chapter or even the whole book. Saul was God’s appointed, but he messed up and didn’t follow God’s command. David was then anointed to be the next king, but Saul was still on the throne for the time being. Saul felt threatened by David. He knew that God had taken his hand off of him, and that David was now God’s chosen. He was angry and jealous, and all he wanted was to kill David. He chased him relentlessly. God always protected David. Then one day, Saul went into a cave to relieve himself. He didn’t know that David was in the cave. David crept up and cut off a piece of Saul’s robe. He had the perfect opportunity to kill the man that had been trying so hard to kill him, but he didn’t. And then, what’s even more important, David’s conscience got to him, and he felt guilty for even cutting the hem of his robe. When Saul left the cave, David called out to him. He told him that he had the chance to kill him, but he didn’t. Saul realized what a truly good man David was, and he saw first hand that David had repaid evil with good. He knew that David would be the next king, and that he would be a very good king.

David knew that he was already next in line to be king. He could’ve just killed Saul and sped things up, but God’s timing doesn’t work that way, and I think David knew that. I also think that God used Saul to grow David into the man that He wanted him to be. He grew in wisdom, strength, and integrity due to the trials he faced while dealing with Saul.

Maybe, just maybe, God put some strong willed, mean hearted, evil doing person in your path to grow you. Hmmm. Never thought of that! Maybe He put that person in your life for you to grow them. Maybe you are supposed to show that person the love of Christ. You may be the only example of Christ that person ever sees in their lifetime. It’s hard to see our growth during those hard times, but when we look back, we see how God grew us through the situations. Knowing Christ is important, but once we know Him, we have to grow…grow in knowledge of Him, grow in our relationship with Him, grow in our relationship with others, and grow in strength and integrity in ourselves. We have to grow daily to become more like Christ. Those daily struggles and knuckleheads that are placed in our paths are part of the growing process. Let those tough times grow you closer to God. Growing pains are hard, but the reward is so great!

I Peter 2:21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.

Matthew 4:19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

Luke 9:23-25 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?

I am not a good follower, I never have been, and probably never will be a good follower. My career has always caused me to move fast and think fast. I walk rapidly even when I’m off duty. I drive too fast. I even speak too fast. I have a lot to say in a short amount of time so I have to say it quickly. My patients have had to remind me on occasion to slow down when they catch me talking too fast. And I’ve even been accused of not being a natural born southerner due to my rapid speech. I can’t help it. There is much to accomplish with little time available to accomplish those things.

Because I’m always on the go and moving quickly, I can not stand following. I do not like getting behind a slow moving vehicle. I don’t like to walk behind slow walking people. I’ve got things to do. I can’t follow. I’ve got to lead. Oh my! Do I have trouble with this one! In this fast paced world we live in, there is One who is worthy of being followed: Jesus Christ! BUT He doesn’t merely want us to follow Him, He commands it. How then does a fast moving, fast talking girl like me quit trying to take the lead and slow down and just follow? I think the key is learning to slow down.

First of all, we have to make time for Christ. We are so busy with worldly obligations. We have to set aside time specifically for Christ. We need time every day to really soak in the Word of God. Linger over the scripture. Don’t rush through it. Slow down and absorb it. Study the Word and take time to ask God what He is trying to teach you. Through studying His Word and speaking to Him in prayer, you will hear His voice. You probably will not hear the audible voice of God, but you will hear from Him if you take the time to listen. He will guide your path and let you know what you should be doing and even where you should be going. Then, finally, you just have to follow His lead. Let Christ lead you. Be obedient to His commands.

Being a Christ follower isn’t just about following the leader. It’s living it out. Living for Christ daily. Sharing Christ with others. When we follow Christ we have to leave things behind that hinder us from having a close relationship with Him. We have to put Him first, others second, and ourselves last. That’s tough in this me, me, me society we live in. It’s hard to learn to be a follower when you’re born to be a leader. How about following Christ so enthusiastically that you can’t help but lead others to Him? Hmm! Follow the Leader, and lead others to Him! That’s what it’s all about! Leading others to Christ. Live it! Love it! Follow Him! If you keep your eyes on Christ, I promise you that you can’t go wrong. You can only go right! You just have to follow the Leader!

Matthew 6:25-34 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Anyone out there guilty of worrying? Don’t all raise your hands at the same time. This pandemic has taken worry to a whole new level. Everywhere I turn, I run into people who are worried. I treat patients in the clinic all day who are worried. People are anxious about their health, anxious about their income and providing for their families, anxious about the economy, anxious about COVID-19, and anxious about the surrounding conspiracy theories…and the worry list goes on and on.

Listen up peeps, your girl here was a professional in the field of worry. For as far back into the dark recesses of my mind that I can reach, I have been a world class worrier. When I say professional, I mean it. I was good at it! I was so good that if I didn’t have something to worry about, I would dream up some silly circumstance or possibility, and then I would worry on that. Almost 30 years ago, I graduated valedictorian of my nursing class and was asked to speak at graduation. I was so worried that I would fall down while walking to the stage, or forget what I was going to say, and I was overwhelmingly worried that I would have to pee before the ceremony ended! I’m serious, I’m telling you that I worried! I worried a lot.

A few years ago, I posted something on facebook about my supreme skills of worry, and a good friend brought me to my knees, and I am forever grateful. She messaged me and told me that what I said about worrying surprised her. She said that she knew I was a Christian, and informed me that worrying was a form of sin. Wait…what?? Sin?? Oh my!

Philippians 4:6 reads “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Well, there you have it folks. Right there in black and white. Don’t…be…anxious…about…ANYTHING! But instead pray…about…EVERYTHING! God knows we are going to worry, but He wants us to turn to Him when we do. He wants us to give it to Him and let it go. When we worry, our thoughts are on our fear rather than on the Savior. We become consumed with worry, and we are not consumed with Christ.

Over the past ten years my prayer life has grown by leaps and bounds. I tug on the good Lord’s ears 24/7. I started clinging to this verse with both hands, and every time a worried thought tried to sneak in, I just prayed that worry right to God. I have retired from being a professional worrier, and am now pursuing studies as a professional prayer! When I worry, I go to the feet of my Lord and Savior and lay my burdens down. I’m getting better about leaving them there too. I used to grab them back up and try to carry them with me, but I’ve learned that my shoulders aren’t that big.

We have a loving Savior who says come to Me! He clothes the fields with splendidly beautiful flowers. If He put so much finite detail into a flower that is going to wilt and fade away with the changing seasons, how much more does He love you and I who were created in His image? The answer: immeasurably! He’s got you! Just lay it all at His feet! Don’t worry! Pray!

Psalm 62:8 Trust in him at all times, oh people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.

Joshua 1:9 Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good.

Trust is a little word with a BIG meaning. We put our trust in so many things of the world…our jobs, our finances, our health, our friends, and our families…just to name a few, but every single one of these can fail us at any given moment. If you don’t believe me, just look around. People are losing jobs and salaries are being cut. Healthy people are getting sick, and some are dying. The ones we love most seem to hurt us most because we care so much about them. Of all the things we can put our trust in, there’s only One that will never fail us.

My daddy has quoted Proverbs 3:5-6 many times as one of his favorite verses, and it has become one of my favorites through the years as well. We can’t lean on our own understanding. I don’t understand why this world looks like it’s falling apart at the seams, but God does. God knows the big picture. He has a plan. It’s not our job to understand it. It’s our job to trust God. If you don’t believe me, just grab your Bible and read it for yourself. It says “trust God” more than 150 times! He’s going to work everything out for our good and His glory.

We’ve strayed so far from God’s path as a nation. It’s time for us to acknowledge that God is God, and it is time to let Him put us back on the track. He loves each and every one of us, big ugly sins and all. He desires a relationship with His kids. All we have to do is trust in Him!

John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”

Deuteronomy 31:8 The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.

I John 4:4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

One thing is for sure, we are either in the middle of a crisis, just coming out of a crisis, or preparing for the next crisis. It’s a vicious cycle. We’re in the midst of several crises right now: the Corona virus pandemic, shortages (this week it was gas – who knows what it will be next week), economic insecurity, and the list goes on. On top of that, many of my friends and family are going through a personal crisis of death or sickness of a loved one, marital issues, trouble with finances, and the list also goes on and on. It’s really hard in the midst of a crisis to recognize that this is the perfect opportunity for us to truly experience our Savior’s power, His great love for us, His immeasurable wisdom, His ability to get us through the crisis, and then, my favorite part, that peace and security that He gives us that could only come from Him.

When we learn to put total trust and faith in Christ our Savior, we soon slowly but surely realize that the God that created the heavens and the earth is the same God that is with us each and every day. He abides in us. He is in control. Knowing this and trusting this gives us joy that far outweighs any crisis we are in the midst of. The indwelling spirit of God gives us security that nothing can shake and a peaceful knowledge that we’re in His hands.

As crazy as it sounds, when in the middle of a crisis, whatever the crisis may be, thank and praise God. During the hardest times in life is when the peace of God is most clearly manifested to us. Even though the crisis is painful, the trial will serve to bring you closer to the Savior if you continue to keep your faith in Him. Keep the faith. Praise Him during the storms. The Son will shine through!

Ephesians 4:7 However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ.

Psalm 143:5-6 I remember the days of old. I ponder all your great works and think about what you have done.  I lift my hands to you in prayer.

When I think back to my younger days, it seems that the days were long and the years were longer. It took five years to get from one Christmas to the next in kid years. But I reflect back now, and I realize that as a child my mind wasn’t filled with many memories because I hadn’t yet made a lot of memories. As an adult, growing older each minute, I now recognize that the days are much shorter and it only takes a month for a year to pass in adult years. Time is slipping by so quickly. Our minds are storehouses of memories of days gone by, and we want to sit down and reminisce and reflect on the days gone by. Why? Why do we do this? I personally feel that reminiscence is a gift from God, and it is a gift that He fully expects us to take advantage of. When we reflect back on the days of old, we remember experiences, good and bad. We remember the trials, but we also remember how God’s grace pulled us through each and every time. We reflect on the many times that God showed us mercy when we surely didn’t deserve even a second thought.

I am so thankful that my good God has left my memory intact, and I love it when He allows me to return down those old country roads. It only takes a smell, a sight, or perhaps even a sound to cause me to reminisce on the days of old. While I was riding around with my husband last weekend, I noticed that the Mimosa trees have started blooming. Every time I see those fuzzy pink blossoms, I am taken back to my youth. I was a regular old tomboy. My daddy raised six girls and no boys. I enjoyed the outdoor life. I enjoyed fishing, walking in the woods, riding in the police car with my dad, and hanging out at the Sheriff’s department for hours on end. I only wore shoes for church and school, and the bottom of my feet were as tough as cowhide. I walked many miles on those bare feet, and I climbed many a tree. The Mimosas bring me back to my grandparents house each year as the first blossoms appear. My daddy’s parents had a big old Mimosa tree at the corner of their front yard. I remember climbing that with my bare feet and lanky arms and legs. My sisters and I climbed and laughed and had a ball in that old Mimosa tree. I loved that old tree. As we drove past Grandma’s house going to my daddy’s this week, I pointed out the old stump to my husband and once again remembered those barefoot days climbing trees.

That may seem like a silly little detail of my childhood to some, but that small memory is flooded with many more memories. It is tied to the very people who instilled a love for Christ in me. My grandparents raised up my godly father who raised up six children in Christ. I didn’t recognize that as a child. I didn’t realize that my grandparents were instilling a love of Christ in me while I was visiting their home and climbing their tree, but THEY DID! They took time to show me the ways of the Lord. I saw their love for the Lord in their actions and their hard work. Grandma brought us to “singing school” at her church every summer. It apparently didn’t work out as hoped for me because we all know that this girl still can’t carry a tune in a bucket, yet I still remember those days with great fondness.

Today is a good day to reminisce. It’s okay to remember the past as long as we don’t take up residence there. Take some time to remember the people that helped form you into the person you are today. Reflect on who planted the seeds that brought you to Christ. Think about who watered those seeds. Reminisce on the goodness of our great God and remember all of the times that he poured out his grace and mercy in your life. It is those memories that give us the courage needed to continue the road to this thing called life. Those memories also help us when we struggle. When we are going through a difficult season, we can reflect back and remember all of the times that God got us through the difficult times. His love never fails us. He never leaves us. He was there when I was barefooted and climbing trees, and He is right here with me now. Thank you God for growing me in you each and every step of the way.

Ephesians 2:18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

John 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

James 4:8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Early last spring, Jeff hung some outdoor string lights that run from our outdoor kitchen all the way around the edge of the back deck. A few nights ago, We hadn’t plugged the lights in for a log while, and when Jeff plugged them in, to our surprise only the first string of lights lit up. By the light of a flashlight our son, Conner, checked the fuses in the second strand, but still no light. Jeff then shined the flashlight down the strings of light, and he quickly discovered the problem. The wire was cut! Apparently a squirrel decided to chew the wire into. We had lost our connection. Fortunately for us, and that little squirrel, I happened to have had a spare string of lights so the connection was quickly re-established, and light once again overcame darkness.

Sometimes little squirrels sneak into our lives and our connection to Christ seems to get cut off. We feel far removed from God, and we feel like we have to handle life on our own. Our light has gone out. We are lost in the dark.
Fortunately for us, we don’t have to remain in the dark. Our light is just a prayer away! Just think about it, Peeps! All of the power of heaven is available to us! That, my friends, is quite an amazing thought!

When we were on a mission trip in the Dominican Republic, the pastor told a story about a man who kept praying to God to give him things to fill up his home. He went room by room filling up the house with so many material things. As he filled each room up, he moved God to the next room because there wasn’t room for Him there. After he finally had all the stuff he thought he needed, he had moved God outside. He slowly began to feel very lonely, and he started praying. He asked God why he had left him. God replied, “I never left you. You pushed me away.”

We need to keep this in mind. God NEVER leaves us. When we can’t feel His presence, when we feel we’ve lost our connection, it is very likely that we have pushed Him away. He didn’t leave. We just got busy doing our own thing and chasing our own squirrels…the very same squirrels that where cutting our line of connection.

Fixing the connection is so easy. The Light is still right there where you left Him. He’s waiting for you to reconnect, and all you have to do is call out His name. Pray. Talk to the Father. Ask Him into your life. There is nothing like the light of Christ to fill you up and keep you going. Be filled with the Light, and let your light shine today!