Why ALL Nations are Founded on God

I can’t help but find it amusing when I hear people debating as to whether or not America was founded on God.  It is easy to get drawn into such a debate, quoting our forefathers or recognizing a particular passage from a document.  The truth of the matter is that ALL nations are founded on God because God is sovereign over the entire earth.  America is founded on God.  ISIS is founded on God.  Russia is founded on God…

Whether or not a nation chooses to recognize God as sovereign is at the crux of the issue.  The Bible is filled with stories of how nations who fail to recognize God as sovereign fall in utter destruction brought on by their allegiance to pride and lust.  God, in His loving mercy, allows these nations to experience the pain that comes from lust, pride, envy, and dependence on everything but God.  This is merciful because it is God’s attempt at opening the eyes of His people so that they can see the One on whom their total devotion should lie…enabling them to devote themselves entirely to Him, the one who brings everlasting peace, hope, and love.

This also correlates with us as individuals.  Do we see God as sovereign over our lives?  What happens when we depend only on ourselves, depending on the things of this earth to bring us happiness:  money, material possessions, sex, food, drugs, alcohol, work…..??  We find that any happiness is fleeting, and we are left only wanting more and more.  We never find that place of peace in our souls that only God can bring.  We get so caught up in ourselves, our happiness, our pain…that we fail to see anyone or anything else.  We live a live devoted to self…a life that will end in destruction unless we open our eyes and give our hearts to God.

The Old Testament is filled with stories of God’s wrath, and many an Atheist will point out those passages as evidence of a God who is anything but loving.  Even many Christians grapple with the whys of it at times.   The wrath of God comes upon people who God desires as His own.  He is a jealous God.  He is our maker and has no desire to share His creation with things that will only cause His creation to implode upon itself.  He gives warnings, allows pain and suffering, and shatters the plans of people and nations so that their eyes will be opened to focus on Him solely.

 Only a loving God would care enough to give people chance after chance to find the path to true love and total peace.  Birth only comes after significant pain.

Cheryl A. Williams (2011)

A Hug from God

Cheryl A. Williams (2013)

Today I have really been concentrating on how truly awesome God is. He truly is everything to me! I may not always grasp it or totally take it in, but the reality is still the same.

God is my Daddy. He's the Daddy whose love I crave. He's the Daddy my earthly daddy was not or ever could be. And unlike my earthly daddy, God will never hurt me. His love for me is unconditional.

God is my Friend, my Love.  Whereas others may hurt or disappoint me, God never will. He always has my best interest at heart.  Where they are lacking, God is perfect.  He loves me, respects me, and would never harm me.  His love is unconditional and cannot be earned.

God is always with me....ALWAYS. There need not be any fear, loneliness, or doubt with Him beside me. All I have to do is trust Him and have faith in Him. He is with me in the loftiest of places, and He is with me when I am crawling in the dirt. He is with me when I am feeling strong, and He is with me when I have no strength left. God is with me when I am doing my best to walk with Him, and He is with me when I stumble and seek after my own selfish, sinful ways.

My life is in His safekeeping. This is a truth I need to take into my heart so that it will never leave me. It is so easy to let the things in this life get me down. How easy it is to get discouraged, and want to give up. How easy it is to fall into my same old self-destructive patterns.

How wonderful to know that God is there...always there...with arms open, ready to give this prodigal child a hug.

Death to self and intimacy with Jesus Christ

                                                       Photo by Cheryl Williams, 2013



This morning I have been reflecting on what a relationship with Jesus Christ truly means.  It means much more than having someone to pray to when I am going through a rough patch in my life.  It means coming to know Him as a trusted, loyal friend.  He should be so familiar to me that His name is the first name I cry out in the midst of my joy as well as my pain.  A song of thanksgiving should be in every breath I take, for He is the one who supplies every breath that I take.

Sadly, in my life, however...this is not always the case.  Self gets in the way. When things are going great, it can be easy to get in a self-congratulatory mode.  The pride that can come from a job well done can also become a wedge between myself and my Heavenly Father.  How easy it is to forget that I can accomplish nothing without Him who made me.  Any obstacle I have overcome has only been overcome because of the deep well of strength and hope that He provides.  It is never accomplished on my own.  Every accomplishment I have made has been made only because of the tools He has supplied me with.

Jesus Christ desires the most intimate of relationships with me.  It can be so hard, however...to trust.  After all, this world is not always a very trustworthy place.  When a person has been betrayed and abused on various levels, it is easy to forget what trust is.  Even when it is recognized, it is so hard to tap into that ability to trust because your heart is broken into so many pieces.  You try to rely on self because self has never let you down.....

and that is perhaps the biggest betrayal of all.   Self will always let you down because when you totally rely on self, you are pushing Jesus Christ away.  In John 14:6, Jesus says, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.:."  Think about that.  What power there is in those words.  In essence, they mean, I am everything...I am all that truly matters.

When we rely on self instead of our Heavenly Father, we cheat ourselves of the rich and fruitful life that He has promised.  We fall into dark places and don't know how to climb out.  We search for love and happiness in places that only provide a temporary fix.  We never get to truly know how beautiful and precious an intimate walk with Jesus can be.

The good news is that Jesus never gives up on us.  He is always with us, even in our darkest moments.  We just have to learn how to find Him.  It all begins by reaching far beyond ourselves.  He is there...standing in the Light.

How to Care for Yourself if You are a Caregiver

I haven't written on here lately.  The past few months have been so busy life has gone by in a blur.  A lot has happened over these months.  I am on a leave of absence from my job as I help someone very close to me recover from cancer and a broken hip.

During this time I have been reminded  that all of my strength comes from God. Very often in life our roles change due to whatever life throws in our direction.  When a person's role turns into one of a caregiver, it can be extremely rewarding as well as extremely challenging. One of the biggest challenges one must face is finding a balance between caring for the other person and caring for yourself.  It can be easy to just forget about yourself when you are a caregiver.  Suddenly your life goes on the backburner as you help the person get back to a life of normalcy. As you are thrust into a life of doctor appointments, dispensing medications, physical therapy, and helping the person learn to be independent again, your own life gets put on hold.  The person you are caring for may not be able to be alone for any length of time, so you may have to miss church, family outings, holiday celebrations, etc.  Your regular routines will suddenly be nonexistent because illness throws a myriad of issues your way.  Your sleep schedule may change, and you may find it difficult to sleep at all.

Still, it is imperative that you care for yourself.  After all, if you don't care for yourself, how can you care for someone else?  Here are some ways that you, as a caregiver, can still care for yourself.

-Do not be afraid to ask for help.  After all, you are not invincible.  Very often family and friends are more than happy to come and help out so you can run an errand, go for a walk, or just take a nap.

-Resist the temptation to do more than is required of you.  Very often, as a caregiver, it can become easy to do everything.  Make sure that you remember the end goal.  If the end goal is that the person becomes more independent, let the person do as much as possible on his or her own.  It helps the person gain confidence in his abilities, and it helps to prevent you from becoming burned out.

-Sleep when you can.  More than likely, your sleep schedule is going to be interrupted.  That solid seven or eight hours of sleep each night that you love may become more than a distant memory.  Take a nap when you can.  If the person you are caring for is sleeping, that is the perfect time for you to sleep too.

-Exercise.  Even if you hate exercise, it is important to include some in your day.  Not only does it relieve stress, it helps contribute to a positive mindset.  If you cannot get out and go for a walk, find some simple exercises you can do at home.

-Keep a progress list.  It can be easy to get so bogged down in the day to day issues that crop up, you may not see the progress that has been made along the way.  This can be very discouraging.  Make a progress list, and add to it regularly.  This will keep you focused on the progress that is being made and help you realize that your efforts are not going to waste.

-Take time for things you enjoy.  Many things can be done in the house while you are with the person you are caring for.  Read a book.   Watch a funny movie. Try a new recipe.  Listen to music.  All of these are things that you can do and include the other person in.  Have fun!

There are definite rewards to being a caregiver as well.  Some of these are:

-Stretching yourself into unknown areas.  You may find yourself doing things that you never thought you would be able to do in the role of a caregiver.  You will soon discover that when you are helping someone you care for, it is much easier than you thought it would be.

-Confidence in your abilities.  As  you find yourself being challenged in new ways, you will also find that you become more confident in your abilities.

-Dependence on God.  For me, as a caregiver, I developed a closer relationship with God.  As I was thrust into the role of caregiver, I found myself turning again and again to God for direction, for strength, and for hope.  My dependence on my Heavenly Father is what has given me the strength to care for someone else.

Almost everyone will find themselves in the role of caregiver at some point in their life.  Keep your mind on the positive aspects of the role.  You are being instrumental in helping a fellow human being live a quality life again.  And that is definitely something to smile about.

Saying Goodbye to Pride

I’ve had a revelation recently about my life.  It wasn’t a revelation that was easy to acknowledge, but it was one that was important for me to hear. 

All of my life I have struggled with self-esteem.  This was brought on from the time I was a little girl who was chubby and wore glasses to when I was a teenager, sexually abused for many years. Later, it manifested itself into becoming a victim of emotional and verbal abuse.

For all of those years, I was a Christian.  God helped see me through some very dark days, and helped me turn those bad times into something positive for Him.  Part of it involved hands-on work of helping others.  Much of that was done in the form of writing as a means of helping others.

Somewhere along the way, however, I lost track of the true reason I was writing.  It became more about my own selfish pride than it did about glorifying God.  It became more about being able to say “I’m a writer”, or I’m an author” than it did about anything else.

When my kids were growing up, I remember people looking at me with disdain when I told them I was a stay-at-home mom and homemaker.  I might as well of told them I had leprosy for the comments and looks I received.  That is when I decided to take a writing course. After all, I had always loved writing as a hobby. The writing course opened the door for me to get published in various magazines and anthologies.  Suddenly, when asked my occupation, I could say “writer” instead of stay-at-home mom.  (It didn’t matter that the money I made was miniscule).  I finally had an acceptable “title”, and nobody knew my income other than myself.  People began looking at me as if I was an interesting person rather than a nobody.

I started off writing children’s stories and poems for a Christian publication.  It didn’t take long, however, until I became very prideful.  It became less and less about helping others and glorifying God and much more about trying to make money and pump up my self-esteem.  My Christian writing soon turned into any kind of writing, as long as I could make some money, add to my list of published work, and get a few pats on the back.  The more of my work I sold, the more encouraged I became.  I even wrote things that went against my Christianity if it meant getting one more item on my list of published works. 

I also had three different columns for an online news source which required a minimum number of articles be written each month.  I did find this fulfilling because my columns were the kind in which I could give relationship advice and write positive things to inspire others.  After awhile, though…this became more about having a title rather than the actual writing itself. 

During this time, I also wrote a YA novel which was actually a true labor of love.  I wrote it with the intention of perhaps helping some teenage girl readers who might struggle with weight and self-esteem issues.  It also had a theme of bullying, which I considered very relevant to the times.  When I finally got my book published, I felt so fulfilled.  I had worked on it for years, and now I could actually hold in my hands the result of all of my hard work.  It didn’t take me long, however, for me to feel that pride come back into my heart. 

It was during this time that I came to my realization that I had been using the titles of “writer” or “author” as an excuse to avoid who I really am.  I work in a café.  By being a writer, I could avoid telling people the truth.  It’s not that I’m ashamed to work in a café.  It is just the fact that I know I have more potential than that.  I have a degree.  I have lots of experience in human services.  I have used my “writer” status as a way to live in denial that there is so much more I could (and should) be doing with my life.

I also came to the realization that I have needed a “title” to overcome the feelings of unworthiness that have haunted me since childhood.  I knew that in order to see myself as God sees me, I would have to strip away my titles as well as my pride.

I feel a calling to serve God, and I truly believe my writing is one of the ways I can do that.  So I got rid of everything I have written that is not in keeping with my beliefs.  I also got rid of the titles that were making me prideful.  I have absolutely nothing to be prideful about.  I am a child of God, and every single thing I have comes from Him.  All of my talents come from Him.  He loves me regardless of whether I’m a café worker or an author.

I haven’t written much lately.  I’m waiting…and praying.  I know that God is calling me to something, and I am listening to find out what it is..even if it means remaining a cafe worker. Until I find out exactly what that is, I am slowly shedding my pride…one layer at a time. I do know that when I start writing again, it will be for God's glory...not my own.

                                                        Cheryl Williams, 2013

Are Guns Really to Blame?

There has been another school shooting.  It seems like it is becoming commonplace in America.  So the outcry begins for gun control as if the gun walks itself into a school and begins firing all on its own.  How American it is to want to put a band-aid on an issue that is much deeper.  Somehow we think that if we get rid of guns, the people behind the guns will disappear as well.

How naïve we are.  The real issue is what causes a human being to pick up a weapon and want to go and shoot a multitude of people?   What is it about our society that produces these individuals?

I have a few suggestions:

-Mental illness.  Sadly, our society still stigmatizes anyone with a mental illness.  Who wants to get help for their mental illness if there is a chance it will affect their livelihood or their relationships with family, friends, and society?

A society that puts more faith in possessions than in God.  We are a culture of the biggest and the best, and we seem to place that over our relationship with God. Our society is morally bankrupt.

Families that seldom spend quality time together.  Few families have dinner together or spend true quality time together anymore.  We are a culture of technological devices, and we are addicted.  Parents are just as addicted as their children are.  Parents let the devices do the babysitting, and feel safe because they at least know where their children are.  Parents miss a lot by not interacting with their children on a personal level.  They may miss those warning signs that signal their child may need help.

A culture of bullying in our schools.  Kids can be incredibly cruel.  These days bullying takes place not only at school, but also on social media.  Not enough attention is being paid to the bullying culture that is in our schools.  More needs to be done.

Young people that have a sense of entitlement.  Many young people today have a sense of entitlement that tends to make them believe good things should just be handed to them rather than worked for.  When things don’t go their way…they can have a meltdown.

The lack of involvement with neighbors.  When we know our neighbors, we gain an awareness of our environment.  It we are living next to someone who seems to be a ticking time bomb, there are ways to make authorities aware.  Better to make a mistake than to ignore the behavior and find that your neighbor shot up a school.  Don’t be afraid to voice your concerns. You could save many lives as a result.

As for guns?  They are a right in America.  Every American of legal age has the right to legally carry a gun and protect themselves.  Should there be restrictions?  Of course.  There should be restrictions based on age and a criminal or mental health background.  Guns are not the problem, however.  People are the problem.

We need to stop trying to slap band-aids on the real issues that we, as a society, seem too scared to face.  Only then will the school shootings and the church massacres lessen.  Even if guns were completely unavailable, a person bent on killing others would find a way….thanks to the Internet.

It is time we all open our eyes.  

Hinduism vs. Christianity

Reading about different religions is proving to be very informative.  I know a little about the other religions, but further investigation has revealed more information about them which is interesting.  It is a daunting task to try and look at other religions objectively when I am very strong in my Christian faith, so my views may not be totally objective.  I will do the best I can, however….in my analyzation of each religion.  First I will speak of Hinduism...

Notes about Hinduism:

Each person’s reality is different

If a person’s reality does not lead to happiness, it must be abandoned

God changes and adapts to circumstances

No absolute truth

Duhkha…bad space

Brahman…the Godhead, who we are to know intimately

The differential between expectations and outcomes will determine one’s amount of earthly suffering

Pleasure and Pain are very interconnected

Spiritual ignorance is the source of unhappiness

God responds to each individual based on his needs, personality, etc.

Each person may find the Truth in a different way…through study, experience, or logic.

All creation  has a soul

Reincarnation and transmigration

Religion…to be experienced

Science…to be proven

 For a religion to be reconciled with science it needs to fulfill three requirements:— 1. It must accept all proven scientific facts as true. 2. It must reject any view which is contradicted by science. 3. Its beliefs must be based on observation, logic and experience.

In studying Hinduism, I found many similarities to the Christian religion that I agree with. The biggest one is that they believe in a Godhead, who we are to know intimately. I agree that God responds to each individual based on his needs, personality, etc.  He knows our circumstances and what leads us to believe or disbelieve.  He knows what drives our actions, and His mercy is unfailing.  I also agree that pleasure and pain are interconnected.  To appreciate pleasure, one must recognize what pain is.  To feel pain, one must have experienced pleasure.  I also agree that spiritual ignorance is the source of unhappiness.  The history of Hinduism shows that from the very beginning there has been a quest for intimacy with God.  I agree with this as well.

I disagree that there is there is no such thing as absolute truth.  For those who believe in science, there is absolute truth.  In the spiritual realm, I believe there is also absolute truth.  I do not believe, as the Hindus do…that God adapts and changes according to circumstances.  I believe that God is unchanging.  He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  He is like a rock, and a solid foundation on which to stand.

I do agree that every person has a reality that is based on his own experiences and circumstances.  The Hindus believe that if a person’s reality does not lead to happiness it must be abandoned.  I disagree with this in that I do not believe happiness on this earth is our ultimate goal.  I believe sharing the love of God with others is our ultimate goal.  Whereas that might make us spiritually happy, it does not necessarily mean that everything else in our lives is happy.

I believe that people may be led to the Truth in various ways, but I believe there is only one Truth.  I believe, as the Hindus, that they may be led by personal experience, personal study, or logic.

I do not believe that all of creation has a soul.  God set man apart, and created us in His image.  We have the knowledge of right and wrong written upon our hearts.  We have a conscience, unlike a tree or a rock.  We do not merely exist.  We were created to care for the other life on earth and to love God.  

I do not believe in reincarnation or transmigration.  This is where I cannot help but be biased in my belief.  I believe God’s plan paved the way for us to have eternal life through his son Jesus Christ.  I do not have to earn my way to Heaven or be born into other lives until I reach perfection.  My perfection was born on the cross when Jesus died for me.

Christianity is not the oldest religion…true.  That does not, however, make it wrong.  All religions have in common the searching for something more.  There is an innate sense that there is something greater than who we are. I believe that God put that desire in our hearts for intimacy with Him.

Christianity is the only religion where God came to earth in human form.  Not only this, this human, Jesus Christ, took our sins so that we might have eternal life.  Jesus said He was the Messiah.  This makes him either a lunatic, a liar, or the Son of God.  Enough people believed in Him to martyr themselves over the years.  He did miracles, and had many witnesses to those miracles.  Not only did he bring people back to life, He himself rose from the dead and ascended into Heaven.  From Heaven, He continues to heal and transform lives every day.  The life of Jesus fulfills the prophecies that were foretold thousands of years before His birth...and it all came about as the prophecies said that it would.

As far as the method goes to reconcile religion with science…

-I believe scientific facts are true.  (Saying “there is no God is not a fact because nobody can prove the non-existence of God)  I also believe that Science and the existence of God do not contradict each other.

-Again…science cannot contradict something that cannot be proven…and there is no God DNA.

-My beliefs are based on:

-Observation (creation, miracles, and life transformations in the name of Jesus Christ)…

-Logic(Jesus Christ said he was the Messiah…and He also healed people, loved people, and brought people back to life.  A lunatic or a liar would not logically be so loving as to do those things, yet lie about who he is.  Therefore His claim must be true.)…

-Experience ( I have personally received Jesus into my heart…experienced His miracles firsthand, and experienced his restoration, peace, and love…and I have seen the changes in my life as a result).