Living in the Last Hour

Psalm 147:7-11

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Irm

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During trying times is when we tend to realize what really matters.  My birthday was yesterday and Christmas is four days out. Any other year these dates would take priority, especially Christmas. 

As a grandparent I want my grandkids to enjoy the holiday season. It’s fun. School’s out, so everyone can stay up later and sleep in, watch more tv, especially Christmas movies, old favorites and new releases, and best of all no homework. 

It was not enough to lose my dear friend in November. I am still missing her. She was my ally. She was my sounding board when it came to my children. We prayed for each other. We had each other’s back. Now she’s gone and only in God can I confide, which is ok. Now my struggles go straight to the ears of God. 

This school break and really most of December has been spent caring for sick grandkids. Ear infections, ruptured eardrums, staph infections, cold and congestion..ugh!!! It’s been messy. My 10 year old grandson’s staph infection required hospitalization. He gave us a scare. His mom was frantic, but she showed tremendous strength dealing with her two sons. I was so proud of her. I pray for my grandsons continually and still they fall prey…

I am so thankful that I serve a God whose eyes are continually on His children. His mercy is immeasurable and His grace sufficient. I am thankful that my grandson made it to the ER before the staph infection could cause more harm. 

These season I am so thankful that my children and grandchildren can experience the mercy and grace of the living God. I am thankful for the nurses that took care of my grandson. He may be 10, but he is just a big baby and the nurses were awesome with him. IV’s are difficult for adults and we understand why we need it, but children don’t always understand that the torture they experience is for their good. My grandson to the nurse…  “I want to wait for my grandma.” Nurse: “No. It can’t wait!” Grandson: “Please! Why are you being so mean? You are being mean!”

Christmas is a time of giving and sharing, but for me it’s a time to remember all the blessings of God that have nothing to do with material gain. It’s a time to remember the mercy that He extends to his children though we are undeserving, but that’s His grace that he gives abundantly. Praise God for His faithfulness this holiday season and all year long. 

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Hello,

I’m Irma

Welcome to my little corner of the blog world. Here, I share my thoughts on Christianity, the things of God, and the ways He has shaped and guided my path through life. My journey with the Lord has been long and transformative, marked by moments of peace and joy and periods of uncertainty. I write, first and foremost, for myself—to process what the Lord so graciously reveals to me in Scripture. Sharing some of these truths has become a mission of sorts, via blogging. His word urges us to bear witness and encourage one another.

As I reflect on my own transformation, I can say that the church itself has transformed over the years and not necessarily for the good. I speak about my own experiences with the church. One lesson the Lord impressed upon me this year is that “truth is not always truth.” What do I mean by that? There have been times when I’ve shared a biblical insight, only to realize that other faithful believers interpret the same passage differently. In that instance, I find that the Lord reveals according to our understanding. When I share the need for a Damascus experience understandings diverged sharply. Believers that have been raised in the church do not feel that such an extreme experience is necessary for spiritual maturity. Our faith is truly shaped by our backgrounds. Spiritual journeys are not for everyone. This taught me that early socialization deeply colors our grasp of faith; what’s true for me may not resonate in the same way for someone else.

Similarly, lately I considered how “ignorance of Scripture was its own blessing,” I remembered my early walk with Christ. I had a blind faith. I knew little of doctrine or debate. I trusted the pastor. In those days, my faith and trust in the church and church leaders was simple—I accepted what was taught from the pulpit without questioning. I did not have the knowledge needed to question any teaching. There was a peace in not knowing all the controversies or complexities. As I grew and studied the scriptures, and did some additional research, as the Lord gave understanding, I found myself questioning everything I had been taught. I did not question my faith, or the existence of God. That ignorance, while limiting, protected me from confusion and doubt, allowing me to rest in childlike faith.

The church itself has seen many changes over the decades. Self-proclaimed prophets have introduced new doctrines, some bordering on heresy, while believers wrestle with their flesh and what it means to follow Christ in a society with so many freedoms. I remember a time, more than thirty years ago, when I trusted every word spoken in church. Now, I understand how easy it is to accept teachings that stray from biblical truth. The Scriptures warned us this would happen in the last days.

2 Timothy 4:2-4 (NKJV) “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.”

Current events—like the 2024 Election—have exposed deep flaws in American Christianity. Yet, through it all, Scripture assures me that God is sovereign. No wall built by human hands can withstand His judgment; no scheme crafted in darkness escapes His light. These lessons have become more real to me as I look back over my journals, filled with stories of God’s faithfulness during trials, tribulations and abundant grace. By sharing I hope those the Lord leads here will desire to seek God wholeheartedly, to find comfort knowing that He is always at work in our lives—often in ways we never considered.

Check out my books on Amazon for the Kindle App or in print.

Check out my latest title: Where are my Sheep? Available in Print & Kindle

The Diary of A Christian Woman

A Father Takes All: Four Generations of Growing up in Single Mother Homes – Grace Abounds

I Will Not Be Afraid: Living in the last Hour – Reflections of a Christian Woman

The Journey Endured: The Path to Meet God

Praise the God of the heavens!