A Tightrope Over Niagara Falls

           

            I’ve heard of “The Flying Wallendas” all my life. I knew they were a family of stunt performers and tightrope walkers who've had their share of tragedies in the past. In spite of that, last Friday night (June 15^th), Nik Wallenda walked 1800 feet across a tightrope stretched  over Niagara Falls. He was the first person to ever attempt or complete such a dangerous and life-threatening feat. The thirty-three-year-old father of three had dreamed of walking a tightrope over  the falls since the age of six. Not surprising, considering he first walked a tightrope at age two.

            Two weeks ago, my husband Joel and I were at Niagara Falls on vacation. I could hardly wait to see the falls. I’d never been there. My travels have included every state but three, seven trips to Europe, a trip to Israel and Egypt, and most recently Central America. But I’d never seen Niagara Falls. As Joel and I discussed our vacation plans last spring, it was my first choice.

            When we finally arrived on the Canadian side of this natural wonder, we checked into our motel room and headed straight for the falls.  Although we were three blocks away, we could hear the thunder of 700,000 gallons of water cascading down each second.  As we approached, it was as magnificent and wonderful as everyone had told us. We took the “Maid of the Mist” boat ride and we were transported right up to the falls. Pounded by the mist and wind, we felt the power of Niagara Falls. So I had a special interest in watching Nik walk across them.

            It was astonishing to watch him accomplish his life-long dream. There were a few things I noticed that have a spiritual parallel and I want to share them with you. As I thought about what he had done, I drew an analogy to the times when we try to reach for our dreams, but find ourselves instead in the midst of a life-threatening situation or storm. Sometimes our lives can feel like we are walking "a tightrope over Niagara Falls."

            Here is what I learned from Nik:

            1. He prepared for years. At his own confession, Nik trained for this for the past couple of years. He walked a tightrope with fire hoses spraying on him and wind machines blowing currents all around him. When the whirlpool of Niagara pounded Nik, he was ready for it.

            We can’t face the storms of life without preparation. If we think we can sail along and suddenly make it through the storm when it hits, we’ll fall and drown. We need to be in relationship with the Lord every day, reading His word, praying, obeying, and walking in the Spirit so we’ll be able to withstand the winds and rain when they come.

            2. He praised the Lord the entire time. I found a YouTube clip of the feat. You can view it by going to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9VDMJ4FXfs

            If you listen closely you can hear Nik saying, “Praise You, Father God. Praise You, Jesus,” even while he was in danger of falling to his death. Nik knew that he was prepared for this event, and that God had given him the gifts to accomplish his goal. He continued to praise the Lord as the winds buffeted and the mist sprayed down on him.

            When we are facing a challenge in life, when the foundations of our lives seem to crumble under us, we need to keep praising the Lord. Praise will get us through the storm and we will reach the other side to a better place.

            3. He didn’t do it alone. Nik shared that his uncle who works for NASA made the cable specifically for him to walk across Niagara Falls. His mother made the elk hide shoes he wore. His father was connected to him electronically, and communicated with him the full length of the walk. Before he climbed onto the rope, he and his family held hands and prayed together. He knew others were praying for him, too.

            When we go through a difficult season of our lives, we need to allow others to help us. We can’t do it alone. The pride of self-sufficiency will keep us from succeeding and reaching our dreams. At one point in the broadcast, one of the commentators remarked, “He’s out there all alone.” I spoke out loud in my living room (Joel is used to it ) and said, “No he’s not. The Lord is with him, and we’re praying for him.”

           

At the end of the evening, an interviewer asked Nik why he walked a tightrope over Niagara Falls. He responded, “ I want to inspire people all over the world to follow their dreams.”

And that’s just what he did.

Have you given up on your dreams? Are you preparing today for when the storms of life come? Are you trying to “go it” alone? God never intended for us to go through the storms of life alone. Keep moving forward and keep praising the Lord as you do.

Copyright, 2012, Annalee Davis

           

"A Second Mother"

I love being a mother and grandmother. I have two grown sons and wonderful, godly daughters-in-law. I also have three precious granddaughters and one fabulous grandson. They have all brought me immeasurable joy.

I never had a daughter. I thought after giving birth to my boys, it would be perfect to have a girl. I imagined showing her how to sew and cook and work with her hands--all the things my mother taught me. I pictured her with dark hair and blue eyes. But my third pregnancy resulted in a miscarriage. There would be no daughter.

Then a couple of months ago, I took a missions trip to Nicaragua. It was our last day of walking the dirt roads through the mountain villages. Our team had been assigned to San Andreas the first part of the week. However, the last two days, we were sent to the village of Cuajiniquil. I thought it strange that our assignment was changed mid-week, but I trusted the decision of our team leader.

The first house we approached was like all the others we’d visited. The frame of the house was constructed from trees. Clay tiles covered the roof. The walls were cement or mud packed with straw. The house had electricity but no indoor plumbing. A refrigerator and microwave stood in a corner of the main room. Pretty, salmon-colored tiles covered the floor and an iguana was tied to a beam in the center of the room.

Fifteen-year-old Eileen was the only one of her family members around that afternoon. She welcomed us into her home and immediately I noticed her long dark hair and blue eyes. She was stunning.  Her soiled, tattered clothes indicated to me that although her house had a couple more appliances than others, this was still a poor family.

After introducing ourselves, I was asked to share my testimony with Eileen. She listened closely as I shared what Jesus meant to me. I told her that I’d received him into my heart as a child and that he’d never left me. There had been many people in my life that rejected or betrayed me, but Jesus had never rejected me all these years. I closed by saying He was my best friend.

After sharing, another team member presented the Gospel. Eileen was given the opportunity to receive Jesus as her Lord and Savior and she responded. We prayed with her. I noticed tears in her eyes when we were finished praying. I knew she had been born again—a spiritual birth. We left her with a Spanish Bible and showed her how to read verses contained in a tract. It was a great feeling knowing another Nicaraguan had come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

On Friday night, after all our evangelizing was done, we had a celebration service for those who had received Jesus into their lives. As I glanced around at the people gathered in the cement block church, there was Eileen. She had clean clothes on and had pulled her hair back into a pony tail. She looked beautiful.

After the service, the team members were asked to stand at the front of the church while villagers greeted us and said good-bye. Eileen came to me and we found a translator so we could talk. She said that when I entered her house, she felt an immediate connection with me. She spoke of how my testimony had touched her heart. She said that now I was “a second mother” to her. Soon MY eyes were filled with tears. I hugged her tightly and then shared that I loved her and would pray for her.  Although I was going back to the United States, I would carry her in my heart as if she was my own daughter.

And I have. Eileen is in my thoughts and prayers often. I am grateful for the experience of seeing her come to the Lord.  I know that if we never see each other again, we’ll rejoice in heaven together some day.

I never had a biological daughter, but I have a “spiritual daughter.” And this special kind of motherhood has also brought me great joy.

Happy Mother’s Day!  
Copyright, 2012, Annalee Davis

This Little Light of Mine

It was the last night of my recent missions trip to Nicaragua. After seven days of high heat and strenuous walking, my body was exhausted. I felt relieved to be going back to the “hotel” where we’d stayed all week. The accommodations were one step above an “extreme” missions trip where you camp-out in a foreign country. The experience had challenged me physically and emotionally, but the spiritual rewards had accumulated with each new day.  All the inconvenience and discomfort paled in the joy of knowing 312 people heard the Gospel and 98 put their faith in Christ.

Our transportation, an old mini-bus, kept breaking down. Even on our first full day out from Managua to the hotel, it over-heated. On this Friday night as we made our way down the mountain from the village of Cuajiniquil--a forty-five minute drive over steep, dirt roads with no guard rails in sight--I held on to the sides of my seat as we were jostled around without seat belts one more time.

Suddenly, we found ourselves in complete darkness--except for the starry sky. The head lights had gone out and the driver slammed on his brakes. I immediately reached for the flashlight I’d carried a in my backpack all week, and beamed the light for the driver and our trip leader to see. The driver determined that we’d blown a fuse. We had inside lights, but still no headlights. Now what? One of the members from our twelve person team began to pray for safety as we all continued to wait patiently for the driver to solve the problem. As time went on, I became anxious, plagued with thoughts  like, “How are we going to get off this mountain? We have two river beds to cross over yet. What are we going to do?”  Before coming on this trip, we’d been warned of possible robbery and assault. We’d made it through the week without incident and I was ready to go home to the U.S. But that couldn’t happen until we got off this mountain.

My fear rose within me and I kept praying for safety and peace. Other members of our team got out their flashlights and soon four people crouched at the front of the bus shining their flashlights  onto the road through the windshield. The driver started the engine and slowly crept ahead with only the illumination of the flashlights and stars. But that was enough light to find our way down the mountain and back to the hotel.

As we traveled, someone started to sing the children’s song and we all joined in,

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine,

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine,

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

I realized that if there had only been one flashlight, we would never have made our way safely  to the main road. Only when we pulled together and used all our lights the darkness was dispelled for us to see.

Isn’t that a lesson for all of us? If only one of us shines our light, that’s good, but often not enough. We all need to shine our light, the light of God’s love and the transformation we’ve experienced in our lives. This will dispel the darkness around us and let others see the “Light of the World” in us. Jesus said: “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” ( Matthew 5:14-16, NIV).

Let your light shine for Jesus today wherever you go.

Are you allowing the light of God’s love to shine to those around you? Have you joined a fellowship of believers so you can increase the effectiveness of your witness to a dark and sinful world ? Reaffirm with me today: “I’m gonna let it shine!”

Copyright, 2012, Annalee Davis

Killer Bees

For several years I’ve been hearing about “Killer Bees” invading the United States from South America. They’re African bees that were released in Brazil and they are more aggressive and dangerous than normal honey bees. These insects have been known to attack human beings and last year an elderly man in Georgia was killed in one of those attacks.[1] Pretty scary, huh?

Don’t worry. The chances are slim that you will encounter them. And there are bees that are even more dangerous than the insects. I can’t remember where I heard about them, but they are called “killer be’s” and they can crush your spirit. They often appear as seemingly harmless statements like:

“I should be_______________.”

“I could be _______________.”

“I would be_______________.”

Fill in the blanks for yourself. I have the habit of telling myself “I should be doing more.” “I could be making more money.” “I would be at a different place in life if it weren’t for all the people who have wounded me.”

These “be’s’” bring condemnation, shame, guilt and regret. They feed on resentment, bitterness and anxiety. They’re killers of time, energy and the ability to move forward in life. They rob us of joy, hope and gratitude for what we have.

Don’t let killer “be’s” invade your thoughts and divide your heart. Rather, concentrate on what God says about you. Statements of truth like:

·         You ARE a child of God (John 1:12)

·         You ARE the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21)

·         You ARE created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27)

·         You ARE able to do all things through Christ (Philippians 4: 13)

·         You ARE loved with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3)

The next time the devil tries to attack you with a “killer be”, send him away in the Name of Jesus. And you won’t get stung!

Are you allowing the “killer be’s” to attack your mind and spirit? Do you dwell in negative thoughts and emotions? Allow God’s Spirit to touch your heart so you can be free of these hindrances as you walk with Him.

Copyright, 2012, Annalee Davis

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[1] Information taken from “Wikipedia.”

The Greatest Guarantee

Over the past holiday season, a commercial by K-Mart stood out to me among all the others. The announcer advertised that “layaway” was available again to purchase gifts. I wondered if anyone under the age of forty understood the term or remembered when layaway was the norm.

I recall putting things on layaway before credit cards became popular in households. As a child, my mother took me shopping in Georke’s Department Store  in Elizabeth, New Jersey. We carefully picked out an item, whether it was a gift for someone or a new dress for the holidays, and placed a deposit on it.  We made periodic trips to the store to make payments until the item was totally paid for. On the last visit we could take it home. Our deposit was a guarantee that the store would hold the item we’d chosen, and once we paid for it, it would become ours.

Many years later, I sat in a counselor’s office after being abandoned by my husband after twenty years of marriage. I expressed my disillusionment to her, stating that I thought if I married a Christian man and served the Lord I was guaranteed a happy marriage and security in the relationship—for life.

I didn’t like her response: “There are no such guarantees. The only guarantee we have is that if we know Jesus, when we die, we will inherit the Kingdom of God.”

“No guarantees?”

“None.”

I left her office feeling depressed. But I felt better after reading Ephesians 1:13b-14 (NIV):

“Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”

I would love a guarantee that this life will be painless, but the Lord reminds us that we have a better guarantee than that.  With the Holy Spirit deposited in our hearts, we are guaranteed eternal life, and the price for our salvation has already been paid with the blood of Jesus.  We are bought with a price and we belong to God. We are His possession, and we will be with Him forever in heaven—and there will be no tears.  In the meantime we have God’s promises of His abiding presence, His unfailing love, His favor, and His blessing.

A wonderful guarantee, both for this life and the next!

Have you sought the guarantee of a painless life? Have you become disillusioned in a relationship? Has your heart been broken by abandonment or betrayal? Remember that you are God’s child, and He will never leave you or forsake you (See Hebrews 13:5). Guaranteed!

Copyright, 2012, Annalee Davis

  

Just Another Day?

For many of us, the Christmas decorations are packed away until next year, and we’ve begun the normal routine of life. This ninth day in January seems like any other day. Just another day. Or is it?

Consider this. Today has never existed before in the history of the world. And after midnight tonight, it will never exist again. That will be it. We get one shot at each new day. There are no “do-overs” with time. Every day is brand new, and we get only one opportunity to make it count.

Maybe you’ve heard the expression: “Today is a gift. That’s why they call it the present.”  It may sound corny, but it’s true. Yesterday is gone and we have no guarantee of tomorrow. We can only take what we’ve been given—this day —and use it for good.

While living in Michigan years ago, the cold, gray days seemed to run into each other. One morning I sat on my couch thinking it was just another day. That’s when I sensed the Lord speak to me about the importance of every new day. My thoughts became a prayer that I want to share with you. I hope it becomes the prayer of your heart, too.

Another Day

Lord, bless this, another day

And with each work-filled hour

May I feel the warmth and strength

Of Your Holy Spirit’s power.

Lord, bless this, another day

May it not slip idly past

But be used to build our home

On important things that last.

Lord, use me on this day

To be a shining light

To those whose lives are trapped

In sin’s cold and darkest night.

I ask, dear Lord, today

That in whatever may befall

Your loving face I’ll see

And I’ll recognize Your call.

For as each new day arrives

I long to know You more

So my life fulfills Your purpose

‘Til I reach that Golden Shore.

Lord, bless this, another day

I commit it now to You

May Your perfect love and grace

Be seen in all I do.

© Annalee Davis, 2012

(Published in The Secret Place: Devotions for Daily Worship, Fall 2005)

What can you do to make this day matter for Jesus? For others?  Take a moment to commit the day to the Lord to be used for His glory.                                                        

UNEXPECTED GIFTS OF HOPE, LOVE, AND JOY

This past Sunday our church had the privilege of hearing the music ministry of 15 children from the International Children’s Choir. As I watched them sing and dance in their native costumes, I was overwhelmed with emotion. They were beautiful and their faces shone with the love of God and the joy of His Spirit. They sang of being the “next generation” of believers who will serve the Lord with all their hearts. For all who were present they brought the gift of HOPE.

Joel and I hosted three of the youngsters in our house. Each brought their curiosity, appreciation and warmth to our home. Joshua* from Uganda is ten, Ricky from the Philippines is eleven and Sarah from Nepal (who acted as their chaperone) is seventeen. Joshua and Sarah come from Christian orphanages in their home countries. What a rich experience it was to share time with them and experience their uniqueness and individuality. Because of car problems, the children and I were confined to the house, so we did the “old fashioned” activities of playing board games, watching Christmas movies, and coloring at the kitchen table. I asked for “refrigerator art.” They got right to work and in a few minutes they presented pictures to me with the words, “I love you” written on them. They gave the gift of LOVE.

Later in the day, after dinner, Joel and I took them for a ride. A few times during the day, they had asked, “What is mall?” I tried to explain, but decided they needed to experience it for themselves. As we walked around the three-story mall, their eyes were wide with wonder. They wanted to visit with Santa, but the line prohibited us from doing that so we made up for it with ice cream.

Before tucking them into bed, I read Bible stories that I used to read to my own sons. They listened intently as I read about God’s wonderful acts of love and protection for His children. After offering a bedtime prayer, I asked them to join me in “The Lord’s Prayer,” and they did. We prayed the prayer that Jesus taught His disciples. The prayer that has been spoken by millions of people in thousands of languages around the world for two thousand years. But it  suddenly meant more to me than ever before , as I listened to the voices of these children. I knew that although we may never see each other again—that they will return to their countries around the world and face a future I can’t know—we will be connected by our faith. We will see each other someday in heaven. They gave the gift of JOY.

May the Lord bless you and give you the gifts of HOPE, LOVE, and JOY this Christmas and in the New Year!

*The children’s names have been changed for this article.

Copyright, 2011, Annalee Davis