Living in the Last Hour

The Faithful One

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Irm

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A while back, I wrote a book called Imagine God in the Clouds. Mostly, I wrote it to show off God’s beauty reflected in the heavens. I love to take pictures. And I especially enjoy taking pictures of clouds and other celestial phenomena.

I enjoy sharing about my spiritual journey. Through this journey photographing the heavens was one way the Lord revealed Himself, his glory, his power, his love, his omnipotence. In every picture their was a message. Even though I had been a believer for many years, through the years my faith had teeter-tottered on the fence, hither and thither. I had one foot in the world and one foot – well… really just my tip-pie-toes, in the things of God. Mind you, I thought I had faith, but truly, more often than not, I relied on my own abilities to navigate this world. I would turn to God out of frustration, with myself, with my children and in general.

I confess, I have never been able to handle rejection. Frankly, I never met anyone that could.  And for me, divorce was the ultimate rejection. Many times I found myself in an emotionally abusive situation. And getting blamed for every thing going wrong, well… I just had a difficult time making sense of my world.  Since my divorce I struggled with my faith. I struggled with understanding why God would allow so much heartache in my life. More so, I struggled to understand why the father of my children hated me so and how he could just reject the children he helped create. So often, I felt so alone trying to deal with all the emotions and sorted thoughts in my head. It has been a long journey getting to a place where I can look to the heavens and rather than saying “Now what, Lord! I can look up and ask “Where to next, my Lord?”

It never fails that when things go wrong we tend to feel that God has turned His back on us. As if, everything God does, every time God moves, it is about us. In my journey, the Lord showed me that everything He is doing in my life is not necessarily about me. I can admit I don’t understand God, or the many ways in which He works – but I can say thank you Lord, for Your grace, Your mercy, for loving this wretched woman that can’t do anything right. And, it was in my inabilities, my weakest moment that God began His work in me. I can say that He consoles those who mourn in Zion, He gives them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. (Isaiah 61:3)” Praise the God of the heavens! 

 

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I stand on the mountain… Matthew 14:23 “And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.”
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I look to the heavens… Isaiah 40:26 “Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these things, who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, by the greatness of His might and the strength of His power; not one is missing.”
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For His mercies are new every day. Lamentations 3:21-23 
“This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope.  Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassion’s fail not.  They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.”
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The road ahead is long and a bit fuzzy. Psalm 37:23 “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way.
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Sometimes I get myself into places that are difficult to get out off. Psalm 91:14-16 
“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation.”

Be Blessed.

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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!