Author: Kathy Stephens

  • Daring Greatly…..

    ByKathy Stephens

    daringgreatlybadge1If I was to ask you have you ever been disappointed I feel sure you might answer yes. If I was to ask if you’ve ever been challenged beyond what you thought you could reach, I feel sure you might answer yes. If I was to ask you have you ever been made fun of I feel sure your might answer yes. If I was to ask you if you’ve ever failed at anything I feel sure you might answer yes.
    Through out my life I’ve learned a lot of things from situations and challenges that I’ve been affected by. I’ve learned that being a good Christian isn’t directly associated with your church attendance yet In contrast, I’ve learned that a painful broken heart is directly affected by how much you love. I’ve learned that even good people don’t always want the best for you and I’ve learned that the people that you least expect will rise up on your behalf. I’ve learned that friends will lie to you while your enemies will smile at you.
    One of the things I admired about Dennis was his “smarts”. NOT being a smart aleck but his ability to be well versed in a lot of things. One was history. He loved history. I came across something today that I want to share with you. It was written in April 1910 by Theodore Roosevelt. This speech is sometimes referred to as “The Man in the Arena”. Read slowly this little piece of history.
    Here’s Roosevelt’s Speech:
    ” It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.
    The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again,
    because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause;
    who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly…”
    This really struck a cord with me. It’s not how much fun someone makes of you or what people think about you. IT’s not how many times you stumble and have to get back up. It’s not whether you win or lose but HOW you ( play the game) DARE… The challenge is what Roosevelt said…. to Dare Greatly….
    Are you facing something right now that you need a good dose of daring greatly??? It means being all in. COURAGE TO YOU…..

  • LIGHTHOUSE in the storm…..

    ByKathy Stephens

    portrait-of-a-lighthouse-stationed-on-a-beach-coastline
    I was blessed to get to keep my grand girls New Years Eve night. We had our own little “ring in the New Year” party. I bought party hats, blow whistles, poppers and of course sparklers. They loved it. As the smoke rose up from the sparklers I was reminded of the fear I’ve had of firecrackers all these years. Childhood accident fixed that for me.
    My Kids came to pick up the girls, we ate lunch and spent some time around the table. It was all great until they began to back out of the driveway. I had to walk away because my heart was breaking. I looked over at my big ole house and watched them pull out of the drive and tears began to roll down my face. At that instant I felt all alone…. So very alone. I was taken back to that very day last year January 1, 2015. It was a day, the first day that I was able to literally cry out to GOD for help. It was the first time I had been able to speak to HIM personally, pray to HIM privately, since Dennis had died. I remember laying in my bed alone crying out to HIM in such a way that I was literally hollering at HIM. I remember everything getting quiet and I”m not sure how long I actually laid there but I remember HIM rushing in and bringing peace to my heart. I remember feeling the Holy Spirit literally breathe on me. It was a moment I’ll never forget… The last couple of days have been tuff. I’d like to say that my days are all easy now and that I’m moving on, but truth is Grief, losing the love of your life, is quiet the adventure. It changes everything about your life and most everything about you. I’ve been pondering over life these last couple of days and as most have been posting their New Years resolutions I have been asking GOD to simply show me my next step.
    Today as I stood in church and worshipped GOD I began to release that hurt and pain to HIM. With each word of the song we were singing I could feel myself getting closer and closer to HIM. It was as if it was just ME and GOD. Not another soul in the church. The last couple of days I would compare myself ( or my emotions rather) to a ship that is being hit from every side with crashing waves and wind, being tossed to and fro out of control. I have felt helpless. I’ve felt like a ship that is lost and off course…..
    BUT ( as the music played) as the storm began to subside, I could see through the darkness and the fog, a light.( My heart began to beat alittle faster) It started out as a small glimmer (the voices were soft) then it began to get alittle brighter( the voices were getting louder, I was singing louder, I was crying out louder) and I began to feel HOPE again. I found myself alittle more settled,( from my mouth came devotion for Him) alittle more safe. I quickly realized it was the light coming from the lighthouse. ( I worship you Lord for WHO you are ) The (lighthouse) one that is always there waiting for me to return home. Standing strong, shining bright waiting for my return…….I felt removed from the present state and transformed to a safe place with HIM. I saw HIM today as the lighthouse in the storm.
    Matthew 8:23-26 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “you of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, “what kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”
    ME: He is the LIGHTHOUSE…..

  • 2016… There you are !!!!!

    ByKathy Stephens

    HOPE IS stronger than fearFaith Is- Dr MLK-01

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    I have to admit that this past year has probably been the worst year of my life but at the same time in many ways it has been the best. Many of you have heard me say that before. It has been filled with a lot of doubt, hurt, confusion, fear and some misunderstandings. With each day I had to learn to lean on others. Something i’m not really good at. As each day, and month passed I also found myself leaning on God like never before. I found that right in the middle of all my hurt and pain our relationship was stronger than ever. I have learned to cherish true friends more, I found myself worshipping different, writing more and more and wanting to be the very person that my husband had always encouraged me to be. I still have a lot of work to do but i’m looking ahead at 2016 to be that year. The one where I grow into the very person that God has been molding me to be my entire life.
    I hope that as you face 2016 you will find that your fears are only as scary as you allow them to be. I hope you find out that your never alone… God is always standing along side you. I hope that you find that you are blessed even in the midst of tragedy and confusion. I hope that you find that it really doesn’t matter what your going through, it matters how strong you are at the end of it. I hope that GOD will become more real to you in 2016 than ever before. I hope that you will let go of the religious activities and truly engage in a relationship with HIM. Worship with freedom and start coloring outside the lines with your faith.
    These two photos represent where i’ve been and where i’m heading.. There is no question that even in my darkest hour and in your darkest hour … HOPE REIGNS…..