Reality Check with Ann Downing...

Just got the news that long time friend and fellow minister Jessy Dixon has made the journey from here to there....walking that "highway to Heaven" with great dignity and love for His Lord. I first met Jessy when we were on the same record label in the 70's....then worked some telethons with him in the 80's, and of course then the beginning of the Gaither Homecoming videos brought us into each other's company over and over again. Some of my fondness memories were the Gaither cruises we shared....and just those concerts and video tapings where I could always count on Jessy to tell me he loved me and had missed me. I would feel so proud when someone would say, "I like to see you and Jessy sitting together on a video"....I kinda felt they were saying we had great respect for each other and it came through in our interacting...which I always appreciated very much. I will miss my friend...I have to admit I'm not one of those folks who easily call...

It occurred to me this morning that far too many times I've spoken out in fear more than faith. I'm not talking about not considering reality, but just over and over looking at the "lower side" of a situation before me and "talking" that, choosing to function in that instead of "talking" and functioning from the "upper side". Wonder why we can sometimes believe in Jesus Christ for salvation more readily than in His Father God's provided way for everyday stuff? Seeing things through faith that God really did love us enough to send Jesus for our salvation could help us to see His love is enough to send HIS help to us for today?

When we keep trying to open the door....trying to push hard on the door....even kick in the door in frustration and it won't budge, we gotta be grateful, in looking back. How many times has it really worked to keep pounding away to force something to happen the way we think we just gotta have it happen?? And sometimes God just gives in and says "ok, I'll give you what you're insisting on having"....and then later we find that it just wasn't His will, His best, His answer. But we got it because we just would not see, hear, feel, experience the "not now's". We HAD to have it our way. Wouldn't it be easier to just pull up our "faith bootstraps" and say, "I'm believing in your closed and locked doors, dear Father God, so I'll wait".