POSTS SEARCH
SEARCH
Pain, Peace, Prayer, Trust, Words of Endurance

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask God

By on

September 27, 2011

- Category : Pain, Peace, Prayer, Trust, Words of Endurance

- Tags :

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God,
who gives generously to all without finding fault,
and it will be given to him.
JAMES 1:5



When I found myself in the throes of darkness I had many questions that I wanted to ask God. I was young, naïve and afraid – I was trudging through an unexpected, unfamiliar territory – the valley of suffering.



I felt troubled and confused. I didn’t know why we were suffering. Others told us that as Christians we should not be suffering. We were told we were suffering because we had sin in our lives and that we lacked faith. Like Job, I wanted an audience with God – I wanted answers to my questions.



“But I desire to speak to the Almighty and to argue my case with God.”
JOB 13:3 (WORDS OF JOB)



At the same time, my husband, Dave, had a remarkable peace. For the most part, he accepted what was happening to him and had very little need to ask why? I asked myself why I could not be like him. I felt shame.



To make matters worse, there were those who scolded me saying, “Jan Dravecky who are you to question God?” I felt guilty.



But Praise God I turned to His Word …



O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more.
How gracious he will be when you cry for help!
As soon as he hears, he will answer you.
ISAIAH 30:19



The Holy Spirit led me to the Psalms. It was in the Psalms that I saw that no one asked more questions of God than King David, a man after God’s own heart. This gave me the freedom to ask whatever was on my heart.



My questions led me on a path of discovery that forever changed my life and deepened my faith. Like a tree in drought, I was forced to sink my roots down deep to find water. I found that living water in the Word of God.



Whether you are in a place of peace like my husband, Dave, or in a place of confusion and questioning as I was – please know that neither is right or wrong. But we who want that audience with God can take comfort in knowing that we have a Heavenly Father who invites us to come to Him with all of our questions.



“Ask and it will be given to you;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.”
MATTHEW 7:7 (Words of Jesus)



On the journey with you,
Jan Dravecky

0
Peace, Prayer, The Ultimate Treasure, Words of Endurance

Treasure at Our Fingertips

By on

September 20, 2011

- Category : Peace, Prayer, The Ultimate Treasure, Words of Endurance

- Tags :

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
Psalm 119:105



Scripture is more than ink on paper. It is God’s voice, His living Word, and it has the power to infuse our hearts with hope in a way nothing else can. Whenever our pain or circumstances blind us to God’s presence, love, counsel and peace, we can still find Him in the pages of the Bible. His Word can light the way through the darkness. It is the treasure at our fingertips.



To give you a head start in discovering this treasure for yourself, we want to share with you some of the priceless gems uncovered by some of your fellow sojourners.



Rick Rood calls the Word of God, “a river of grace to my heart.” Shortly after his wife was diagnosed with a debilitating illness, Rick found the following Scripture passage that became both a light for his path and instruction for the journey.



Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.
Psalm 55:22 (NASB)



Lucy MacIntosh sensed and feared the destructive power in the darkness she faced. During those desperate days, she clung to Jeremiah 29:11 because “this verse promised me that God’s plans for good could not be destroyed. Since that time, this has become my life verse.”



“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11



After her injury, there were many times when Ruth Miller could not read Scripture.“I was so angry at God’s lack of action,” she explains, that “until I could handle reading Scripture, which came after about a year, every day I read just two verses: Psalm 31:14-15. These two verses gave me focus through my tears.”



But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said thou art my God. My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.
Psalm 31:14-15 (KJV)



Joanie Thompson considers Isaiah 50:4 to be one of the most important verses in her life, especially during times of suffering. It gives her hope that God will use her suffering to alleviate the suffering of others.



The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.
Isaiah 50:4



When she was too sick to read her Bible, Michelle Dacus posted 1 Peter 5:10 -11 on her bathroom mirror and on her nightstand.“Those verses reminded me that God would do something powerful with my suffering. It gave me hope that my pain wouldn’t be wasted.”



And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power forever and ever.
1 Peter 5:10-11



“As Dave and I walked through the darkness” Jan Dravecky recalls, “the Bible became our lifeline, the compass that steered us through the confusion and doubts that are part of the darkness…The verse that comforted me most in my darkest days was John 10:27-29. Dave clung to 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, which later became the guiding verse for the Outreach of Hope.”



My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.
John 10:27-29



Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18

0
Prayer, The Ultimate Treasure, Words of Endurance

Surprised in the Darkness

By on

September 20, 2011

- Category : Prayer, The Ultimate Treasure, Words of Endurance

- Tags :

by Kim Jones



I found God in the darkness. Or, to be more accurate, God found me— and I wasn’t even looking for Him!



There’s no doubt I was in a desperate situation. I had no answers and absolutely no escape. But because I was an atheist, it never occurred to me to look to God for solutions. My heart wavered between despair and desperation, but even more troubling was the fact that I couldn’t get away from the gnawing sense that someone or something was trying to get my attention.



As it turns out, several friends had been praying for me. They weren’t prayer giants. In fact, they were all new to their faith. They simply were asking God to somehow intervene and introduce Himself to their struggling friend. They not only prayed but through their acts of kindness and genuine concern, they began to lovingly and gently show me a picture I had never seen before—a picture of who God was. (Unfortunately, a few other “friends” assaulted me with Bible verses and pointed out all of my shortcomings, which was a really bad idea that set me back a few months.)



In my more gracious and gentle friends, I saw something that was missing in my own life—something I wanted. But in my mind, God didn’t exist, so I couldn’t understand that a relationship with Him was what set my friends apart. God understood my confusion, and in His mercy, He tracked me down until I could deny Him no longer. His overwhelming love pursued me through the darkness until I could resist Him no longer.



I know that everyone’s journey from darkness to light, everyone’s discovery of treasure, is different. God knows exactly what it will take to get our attention. Like a good Daddy, He’ll pull out all the stops to make sure we don’t miss Him, especially when we need Him most. That’s where you, as a friend or loved one of someone who is wandering in the darkness of suffering, can make a difference. You can be the friend who is gracious and gentle in demonstrating the love of God. You can be the one who prays for your friend who is struggling to find God in the darkness.



Asing God to Reveal His Treasure

Whenever you pray for friends or loved ones who are struggling to find treasure in the darkness, you can ask God to:

  • Draw them to Himself. No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him (John 6:44).
  • Surround them with believers. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send out more workers for his fields (Matthew 9:38 NLT).
  • Help them understand who God is. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better (Ephesians 1:17).
  • Give them a hunger for God. O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water (Psalm 63:1).

0
Healing, Loneliness, Pain, Prayer, Words of Endurance

Lost That Feeling? Lost God?

By on

August 31, 2011

- Category : Healing, Loneliness, Pain, Prayer, Words of Endurance

- Tags :

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish;
no one can snatch them out of my hand.
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all;
no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.
JOHN 10:27-29 (NIV)



When I was going through my depression, many of my senses and emotions went numb. One of my first senses to go numb was my sense of spirituality – my sense of the presence of God. I could not “feel” God. It felt like there was a cement ceiling between God and me and my prayers would bounce off that cement ceiling every time I tried to pray.



I felt as though God was nowhere to be found. But it was good to know once again that I was not alone in my feelings – King David experienced the same:



Listen, GOD, I’m calling at the top of my lungs:
“Be good to me! Answer me!”
When my heart whispered, “Seek God,”
my whole being replied,
“I’m seeking him!”
Don’t hide from me now!
PSALM 27:7-9 (The Message)



As did the Prophet Jeremiah:



And though I cry and shout,
he has shut out my prayers.
LAMENTATIONS 3:8 (NIV)



As did Job who was blameless and upright:



I shout for help, God, and get nothing, no answer!
I stand to face you in protest, and you give me a blank stare!
JOB 30:20 (The Message)



I was so relieved to have my feelings validated by such great men of God!!!! But even though I felt better about my feelings I still had a serious problem.



The problem? I believed if I could not “feel” God that meant that I had lost my relationship with God. This thought filled me with great fear until I read the top verse, John 10:27-29.



Praise God – Nothing could be further from the Truth! While you or I may lose our “feeling” of God and feel that we have lost God– God the Father and God the Son will never lose us – no one or nothing can snatch us from His hand.



Lost that feeling? Lost God? Then take comfort in knowing that God’s presence and God’s love is not dependent upon our feelings! Be encouraged and know that no matter what your state of mind is, there is nothing that can separate you or me from the love of God.



For I am convinced that neither death nor life,
neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future,
nor any powers, neither height nor depth,
nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us
from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
ROMANS 8:38,39



On the journey with you,
Jan Dravecky

0
Anxiety, Breaking the Chains of Worry, Hope, Prayer, Words of Endurance

Pray About Everything

By on

July 11, 2011

- Category : Anxiety, Breaking the Chains of Worry, Hope, Prayer, Words of Endurance

- Tags :

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.
Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.
His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7 (NLT)



Something will wake me up in the middle of my sleep – usually it is a hot flash, bathroom stop or Dave tossing and turning. And right when I am ready to snuggle in and go back to sleep – BAM – that is when they hit me and overtake any hope for sleep – WORRIES – my terrors of the night! And to make matters worse, my worries always seem bigger – more magnified – more terrifying in the middle of the night.



I have learned though that focusing and ruminating on all of my worries brings no resolution to my problems or cares nor does it allow for sleep but bringing my cares before God – my helper – does.



Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
1 PETER 5:7 (NLT)



How awesome is it that we as children of God can take our worries to God and know that He hears our prayers.



The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help.
He rescues them from all their troubles.
PSALM 34:17



AND He not only hears our prayers but He answers them.



I call on the LORD in my distress, and he answers me.
PSALM 120:1



AND it is even more comforting and assuring knowing that …



Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us,
to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
EPHESIANS 3:20 (NLT)



So now when I wake up in the middle of the night and my terrors of the night consume me – I turn to God, give Him all my worries and cares through prayer and then …



I will lie down and sleep in peace,
For you alone, O LORD,
make me dwell in safety.
PSALM 4:8

I lie awake thinking of you,
meditating on you through the night.
Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.
I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely.
PSALM 63:6-8 (NLT)



On the journey with you,
Jan Dravecky

0
Anxiety, Prayer, Words of Endurance

What’s Wrong with a Little Worry

By on

June 26, 2011

- Category : Anxiety, Prayer, Words of Endurance

- Tags :

Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that,
what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?
LUKE 12:25-26 (WORDS OF JESUS) (NLT)



It is little wonder that the Gospel writer Luke, a physician, recorded what Jesus said about worry. Worry does affect one physically and certainly does not add a single moment to one’s life – in fact it may very well shorten one’s life span.



Worry weighs a person down;
Proverbs 12:25



Apparently worry was a costly problem in Jesus’ day just as it is in ours. As Jesus points out, worry doesn’t accomplish anything. Instead of making things better, worry actually drains our resources. Even so, we often try to justify our worry, especially during difficult times.



Some worriers believe that worry is not only justifiable but is a necessary part of caring. But the truth is when we actually care for someone, we express that care externally through offers to help, listen and comfort. If we worry about someone, our efforts are internal – we may fret and stew over a problem but that activity rarely leads to action. It does nothing to lend assistance or alleviate pain. In fact, it exhausts the worriers and can prevent them from helping the very person they are “worrying” about.



Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow;
It empties today of its strength.
CORRIE TEN BOOM



Worry is a drain on the person being worried about as well. Often the person who is the object of worry is well aware of it. That person may not share about needs with the worrier because he or she does not want the worrier to worry! As a result, rather than gaining an ally or help, the person in need loses a potential resource.



In addition to being counterproductive, worry has some risky side effects. Worry …

  • Distorts our perspective of the problem.

  • Makes us feel powerless to deal with the problem.

  • Makes it difficult to think about anything else.

  • Makes us vulnerable to fear and depression.

  • Is physically and mentally exhausting.

  • Accomplishes nothing toward resolving the problem.

  • Robs us of creativity and joy.

  • Robs us of peace and spiritual fulfillment.

  • Interferes with our ability to relax – causing insomnia.

  • Results in muscle tension – especially in the neck, upper back and face – which can lead to chronic pain.

  • Produces headaches – especially in the forehead and temples.
  • Increases stress hormones that can irritate the stomach and result in gastrointestinal problems – the classic “knot in the stomach.”



If you are given to being a “worry wart” even reading these unpleasant side effects may have given you a knot in your stomach! But please don’t worry about your worrying – take heart! There is hope! God knows all about our tendency to worry so He provided lots of instruction and encouragement to help us wage our war with worry.



Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.
Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
Then you will experience God’s peace,
which exceeds anything we can understand.
His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7



On the journey with you,
Dave and Jan Dravecky

0
Dealing With Doubt, Doubt, Prayer, Trust, Words of Endurance

Believing What We Cannot See

By on

February 17, 2011

- Category : Dealing With Doubt, Doubt, Prayer, Trust, Words of Endurance

- Tags :

God’s invisibility guarantees I will experience times of doubt.
PHILIP YANCEY (REACHING FOR THE INVISIBLE GOD)



Is it really necessary to see something with our eyes before we can believe it exists? Many of us would answer with a wholehearted “Yes!” Yet when we stop to think about it, much of what we do every day is in response to forces, influences, and realities that we cannot see. Consider this brief slice of life for example:
• Even as I ponder the concept of believing in what we cannot see, gravity holds me fast to the seat of my chair.
• As the sunlight streams through my office window, I fight off the urge to nap – an urge that is prompted by the unseen, yet very effective, radiant warmth of the sun.
• In an effort to stay awake, I walk into the kitchen to warm up my tea by the invisible energy of my microwave.
• As I wait, I glance out the window. For a moment the beautiful dance of the pine trees distracts me. Their dance is powered by the wind of a coming storm that is not yet visible on the horizon.
• As I consider the approaching storm, my heart becomes heavy with concern. Motivated by the invisible power of a mother’s love, I wonder when my children will return home safe and sound.



My afternoon of pondering has not answered my question, but it has led me to the undeniable conclusion that we not only are capable of believing in what we cannot see, but that we must believe. We can’t see the ultraviolet radiation of the sun but we believe in it enough to put on sunscreen. We can’t see gravity but we believe in it enough that we don’t attempt to fly without mechanical assistance. Yes, it can be difficult to believe in a God we cannot see. But if we can’t see the most powerful forces in our universe that influence our life every day, why are we surprised that we can’t see God, the powerful creator of those forces? Perhaps we can take comfort in the knowledge that God’s invisibility is evidence of His power. We want and need a powerful God. As a friend of mine says, “If God were small enough for our minds, He wouldn’t be big enough for our needs!”



Declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
ISAIAH 55:8-9



On the journey with you,
Jan Dravecky

0
Anxiety, Fear, Prayer, Words of Endurance

Our Secret Weapon Against Fear

By on

February 1, 2011

- Category : Anxiety, Fear, Prayer, Words of Endurance

- Tags :

“Fear knocked at the door. Faith answered. No one was there.”
ANONYMOUS



Our secret weapon in the battle against fear is nothing less than having faith in God’s love for us. The Apostle John knew and experienced God’s love in such an intimate way that he could say…



Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear.
1 JOHN 4:18 (NLT)



He knew, deep in his soul, that God loved him – regardless of how he felt at any given moment and regardless of his circumstances. We, too, can experience God’s perfect love in our lives. We can spend time with Him. We can be honest with Him about our fears, weaknesses, doubts, and sins. We can read His love letters (the Bible) and ask him to reveal His love to us. We can receive His love through the actions of others. As we draw close to God, we will come to know Him and understand that He loves us as His children. We will come to know His love and with the knowledge that He loves us with a Father’s love – fear will flee.



The Spirit you received does not make you slaves so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him, we cry, “Abba, Father.”
ROMANS 8:15



A friend of ours, Beve, was battling cancer and her battle with fear caused her to seek God with a vengeance. She knew difficult days lay ahead and that she needed to “get up close and personal” with God and she drew near to Him. One day, while lying in a hospital bed shortly before she stepped into eternity, Beve had a dream. She dreamed that the Lord Himself stood by her bedside and held her hand. She never shared the details of their conversation. She didn’t need to. The evidence was written all over her face. Fear didn’t have the last word, faith did. That is our hope for all of us who have fear knocking at our doors – that when faith answers the door, fear will flee. And along with the Apostle Paul we pray …



I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,
may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people,
to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—
that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
EPHESIANS 3:16-19



On the journey with you,
Jan & Dave Dravecky

0
Newer posts

"The journey of our suffering was not hopeless. Through it we discovered the power of endurance - not in our own ability, but in the comfort, encouragement, and hope that God provides"

LEARN MORE
 

Connect With Us

PO BOX 1912
Salina, KS 67402

 

Dravecky Fan Corner