Spirit, Soul and Body

Today I am reminded of the fact that we are so much more then just a body: touch, taste,sight, hearing smell are all sensory and we learn by these receivers.We also recognize each other by our physical appearance but this only one part of us.

We have a soul, which is your mind,will and emotions. We are self-conscious and socially conscious, this is how we reason and think. This is also our personality. So man posses a soul which is in his body, but he is more then just a soul. The third part is spirit, man is spirit, our spirit is the core of our being, the spirit is spiritually conscious, it is the spirit within us that communicates with God. Man is a spirit, who has a soul and lives in a body. When we are born into the sinful state our spirit within us is dead. (Ephesians 2:4-5)

Why is this important to understand? Because it changes everything! If we understand how we are made and who we are then everything else makes sense, when we read God's promises and His truths the light bulbs start to turn on!

Now we must go back to the very beginning, to Adam and Eve to understand. When Adam and Eve chose to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good an evil even though God had warned them not to, they died spiritually and ever since all mankind has been born into that sinful state, void of the Spirit of God and a close intimate relationship with Him.

Every person knows that they are missing something, there is a void that needs to be filled. That void can only be filled with the Spirit of God, until that happens we are searching for a way to fill it through the things of the world; job, money, fun, relationships, accomplishments etc., although these do bring a level of satisfaction they can never truly fill the void or answer the questions; Who am I, what importance do I have and what is my purpose in this world?

It is when we come to know and accept Jesus Christ as our savior from sin that we become filled with the Spirit of God and come back into relationship with Him. We are spiritually alive, 2 Corinthians 5:21 say, "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him". Oh how glorious this is! To know we are righteous, the righteousness of Jesus Christ and have entrance into heaven.

God has a purpose for each and everyone of us the first of course being that we would come back to right relationship with Him. He provided the way through His one and only perfect Son. When we are born-again as Jesus said, we are born of the Spirit. we become who God intended: A spirit that has a soul and lives in a body! If that is true then our inner man or spirit man is who we are. Romans 5:17 says we are holy and righteous, 1 Corinthians 3:1-17 says we are the temple of God and we are holy. Jesus is in us!

Why does this matter to us who have experienced the loss of a loved one, because the spirit and soul live on, when a Christian passes away the body dies but not the soul and spirit, Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. That person is very much alive. The person you knew, they are in heaven, there is no doubt about that. I will write in the future about Heaven but for now I want to assure you that your loved one is with all the saints that have gone before them and one day you will join your precious one, meanwhile know that they are in a perfect place, no more hurting or pain, no fear, no loneliness no grieving! They are whole!

July 30th- Today is DJ'S Birthday

My letter to Deej,

Good morning my precious DJ! When I awoke this morning I thought of you, if you were here and home we would have pounced you first thing this morning and sang to you "Happy Birthday"! I think I will sing anyway and just know the Angels are most likely singing right along with me and you are laughing with delight, after all this is the day our Father, God brought you into the world, you are His creation!

Now let me recount who you are with in heaven, Grandma Tanya, Grandma Mimi, Grandpa B. Great Grandma B., Ms. Nelda, Ms. Pam, perhaps even our Abigail (puppy dog) is there with you too. I know of course that you are surrounded with people from all through the ages, saints who I look forward to meeting.

Best of all of course is our LORD, Jesus! Oh to think of you with Jesus fills my heart with delight! To know you are perfect and walking hand in hand with our Lord, oh my son, my precious DJ letting myself picture you there and knowing it is so much more glorious, I praise God for His greatness His glory His favor, His ways are so awesome and His love endures forever!!!

I love you my DJ, I miss you but I know we will truly be together through all of eternity, so for now my sweet one, enjoy your birthday, I love you, I love you ,I love you xoxoxoxoxo

Mom

There is a song I listen to that helps remind me of our home I have posted a few of the lyrics and the youtube video - please listen it is awesome!

we will meet in the Golden City in the New Jerusalem

All our pain and all our tears will be no more We will stand with the hosts of heaven And cry holy is the Lamb We will worship and adore You evermore

I LOVE THIS SONG!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iyMjeVoP8s

Father, I do worship and adore you and praise You, for you are Faithful, You have revealed Your precious Son Jesus to me and saved me. Even though I tried to end it all because I had no hope, you spared me and then opened my eyes to salvation! How great and merciful You are, and now Father I look at my life and know that You always had a purpose for me, I just didn't know it. I look back and say wow Father You are so incredible and salvation has come not only to me but to so many. Look at my life, my family! Thank You, thank you , thank you!!!! I bless you today and know that DJ is safe with You,He was not stolen from me and I did not lose him, he is with You and one day we will be too.  I trust You and love you! 

Your daughter, Linda

Suicide

This article is for the family and friends of those who have died from taking their own life. It is not from the perspective of trying to prevent suicide. If you know someone who is dealing with this issue please seek help immediately. There are many great resources on-line for information. I will list some at the end of this blog, also please talk to your Pastor and your doctor.

There is so much said about suicide, the Christian community sometimes looks at it as the unforgivable sin, the world may say it's awful and a shame. I certainly have heard all kinds of sentiments.

I believe looking superficially at suicide brings those kinds of thoughts, instead let's go deeper and look at the person, then God.

A person that takes their own life obviously feels that it is the only way out. Their way of escape from suffering, pain, and fear. These are broad categories purposely because the perception of the cause is not really the issue here. In my opinion the person ultimately takes their own life because they have been deceived: they have believed a lie. The issue or problem has become all encompassing and it has blinded the person to truth.

For example: A husband and father finds out he has cancer. It is aggressive and has spread throughout his body. He thinks: "Ok I am dying anyway, the treatment will cost way too much money, the burden on my wife and kids will be too much, I don't want them to see me suffering and I am dying anyway - so the answer is to take my own life", he concludes. Of course this is wrong thinking. His wife and kids would want every possible moment with him. Money would never be their choice over more time but when a person is thinking only about their current situation, when it has become all encompassing, they may not be able to see the right answer. Feelings are so deceiving aren't they? Circumstances can change like the weather yet we can make a life ending decision based on current circumstances real or perceived.

Wrong thinking - very powerful. The thought becomes the very prison we put ourselves in. The deeper we sink in the thought the more all consuming it becomes and before you know it this thought rules everything. All comes through the filter of this thought and so communication becomes faulty.

I believe a person that takes their own life is so full of wrong thinking that they are not in their right mind. In fact they actually are so consumed with their perceived or real problem and what they think is the only solution they can't hear or see any other way.

When I was 26 years old I was falsely accused of making an error at work and fired, the owner told me if I didn't date his son he would find a reason to fire me, I didn't believe him, but he did it. I was a hard worker, good at what I did, I gave it 110%. I had already been through so much hurt and pain in my life, I kept trying to do the right thing and I always got burned. It seemed to me a waste of time to try anymore because people didn't care. They just took and took and did what ever they wanted to get what they desired. I was at the end, exhausted, fed-up and saw no future for myself. So, I purchased a big bottle of vodka and took every pill in my apartment. I gulped down the vodka while sitting on the floor of my living room apartment. I didn't tell anyone. It was just before Christmas. I eventually passed out. I woke up two days later, of course I had vomited all over. I was so sick I could barely move. There I lay, alone sick and a failure...again! I remember crying out to God, "why won't you just let me die"? I thought death was just death, sleep, rest. I thought God hated me.

I can honestly say, I didn't see another option. When I tried to end my life all that I thought of was peace ( wow, what a lie!) it was I thought my only answer. I wasn't thinking of anyone else.

So was my assessment true? I was fired. It was over something that should have never happened, but the truth is I had my whole life to live. This one incident didn't define who I was, but I couldn't see that.

I felt that I needed to write this because I have met people who have had a loved one commit suicide. Everyone of them whether mother, brother or friend felt that they had failed that person and that they should have been able to prevent it from ever happening. I am saying to you that that person was not able to receive the help you wanted to give. So often the person isolated themselves and wouldn't let anyone know what they were feeling. Even if they did, once a persons mind is made up it is difficult to get them to see truth. I am not saying this can never happen, however; it is very difficult to reach someone who is at this point. Many times you may perceive they are contemplating deep dark thoughts but you don't really know, we can't know what another person is thinking n matter how close we are to them but especially in depression because again, the person has faulty thinking.

How do we deal with such a great loss? So deep is the pain because it is filled with "Why?", "How could they?", "If only, I should have.", the pain is unbearable. This loss seems to cause even more isolation for the family. My heart breaks for those families that are dealing with loss through suicide.

The big question is this: if my loved one committed suicide did they still go to heaven?

In my understanding of the Word of God the answer is, if they had accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior then yes, I believe they did go to heaven. I can make this statement because of the character, the grace and mercy that I have personally come to know as attributes of our Father, I believe I have had this confirmed by books and people that I have great respect for in the Christian world. in fact in Tony Cooke's book, "Life after death", he has the account of Rev. Kenneth E. Hagin's mother who became very sick with depression and tried on many accounts to take her own life. She was a Christian, she was very depressed, she believed it was her way out.

If believing a lie and sinning could separate you from the love of God then we could never have been saved to begin with. God's word says, "while we were yet sinners Christ died for the ungodly". Yes, I said sinned above because taking your own life is most definitely a sin, your life is a precious gift, God has a plan for your life and it is NEVER to end it yourself. Taking your life is murder plain and simple. God's Word says we are not to commit murder, and this stands, however; there are so many levels to pain and depression, I would never try to sum up in a page the struggle of the mind and soul.

God knows, He truly does. So, if a person is saved and falls into depression (through believing a lie or through sickness of the mind) I fully believe they are with Christ in Paradise. So you may ask "what are the consequences?". Well I don't think the consequences are equated to punishment however I do think there will be consequences. Salvation is indescribable, known and fully known, standing before Jesus Christ the Lamb of God! I believe you will then know what you have missed on earth. Your life was meant to be a blessing, you have a purpose, God created you at just the right time and you were born to the right parents to give you the exact DNA that only you have. No one can take your place: no one! You are uniquely designed and you have a purpose. I believe we will know and realize we were deceived. We were taken captive by the enemy and we believed him instead of God.

That thought is where God's great mercy and grace come in once again! Jesus will wipe every tear from our face. We are accepted in the beloved, this is grace; so beautiful, so undeserved. This is LOVE. Nothing can separate us from the love of God!

When I think of pain I can't help but think of the God who hears and sees and loves. He knows exactly where you are in your pain. There is nothing hidden from His sight. Remember that God the Father sent His precious Son Jesus Christ to take the sin of the world upon Himself. He suffered a horrible death. He was crucified, He was tortured, He was abandoned, He was betrayed. Crucification was the most painful, horrible way to die...and the Father chose to let His Son do this as payment for our sin. Because of LOVE, His great indescribable love for us, He created us and desires to be in relationship with us.
When sin came in we were separated from God who is Holy and Righteous; there was a division, a separation from our Creator and He had to make a way for us to be restored into holiness and righteousness so He made Him who knew no sin to become sin that we might become the righteousness of Christ. God the Father watched as His precious holy righteous Son willingly laid down His life that we might have life!

So, the Father knows pain, He knows grief, He knows what you are suffering and He is able to bring healing to your broken heart, in fact one of His names in Scripture is Jehovah-Rapha: "The God who heals". One of the ways He heals us is by His Word. "He sent His word and healed His people". The word of God is different than any other word: it is supernatural! God-breathed, God inspired. Because the word is TRUTH - it is LOVE - it is power and strength. God's word has the ability to open our understanding when we read it and hear it and do it! The Spirit of God leads us into all truth. He reveals faulty thinking and shows us the truth. Praise God, His word is called the balm (medicine) of Gilead!

May our Lord Jesus Christ bless you, with love, Linda

Resources for help in preventing suicide: Please speak to your Doctor and/or Pastor - here are some links:http://peoplepreventsuicide.org/

http://www.metanoia.org/suicide/whattodo.htm

DJ's birthday

This Friday is DJ's birthday, he would have been 20 years old. Hard for me to imagine him at twenty in some ways and then again I have Derek who just turned 21 June 27th and David who turned 18 Feb. 26th.

David just asked me the other day, "was DJ a combination of me and Derek"? My reply was yes both in personality and looks, so I suppose I do have an idea of how our DJ would look now, tall like Derek and broad like David, brown eyes like mama's and curly light brown hair. Both Derek and Dave have million dollar smiles and I remember DJ could turn a frown upside down in a NY minute!

Douglas Jacob Blechinger passed away March 13th, 1995 he was 4 1/2 years old. Just a child, yet he added so much to our lives. I remember his steadfastness, he knew he was sick, he knew he was different, he knew he would die sooner then his brothers. He fought a hard battle, his little heart worked so very hard. DJ had seven surgeries in his almost five years on earth. he suffered allot, those are difficult memories.

I remember his smile, his eyes big and brown, his hair, I remember him perfectly. I remember the sound of his voice and his precious expressions. He was quick to laugh, but very serious at times, he was bright and ingenious in so many ways. DJ spoke about Jesus and angels as though everyone saw what he did, he loved the Lord, he never doubted not even at the end, in fact I believe the Lord so often times comforts his children and takes them by the hand as they enter into the heavenlies. I have been with several people as they passed and it is always such an incredible sense of holiness, for them and for those who are sensitive to the Spirit.

Oh I miss him terribly, my heart still aches at times and I think it will until we are reunited again. That is so comforting to know, heaven is a real place, not a fairy tale but an actual place and we really will be reunited! What a day that will be as the song goes, what a day of rejoicing that will be!

I will make a plan to celebrate DJ's birthday perhaps it will be Saturday though, sometimes we all write him a letter and send them up attached to balloons. This time I might save them instead, we will all talk and decide.

I hope this helps those of you who are reading this blog.

Blessings and peace, Linda

Walking through grief

When I first wrote my book, "From Mourning to Morning", I knew other people around me had obviously experienced loss but I never realized how as humans it is a binding experience. When we share our grief with each other the reality of these deep emotions connect us on a level few other experiences do.

I have heard from so many people over the years, some who have experienced the loss of a loved one years before others who have just walked this path and still others who know a loved one is close to dying and so they are grieving although their loved one is still alive.

Grief can be all encompassing, every thought, feeling, reaction, even the physical expression of grieving is so intense. Sometimes our grief takes us into a very deep dark place and we can feel as though we are physically sinking or falling or even being sucked down into a vortex. I remember laying on my bed after DJ's funeral was over, I closed my eyes and I was frozen, I couldn't move, I was weightless, I could hear every sound perfectly but I couldn't move or speak. It was terrifying, I remember crying out in my mind. "Jesus help me!" finally it broke and I just cried and cried in the arms of my husband.

I was exhausted in every possible way, not only feeling my own grief but all the people that were there for the funeral, I could see the pain and hurt in their eyes, I wanted to comfort them and perhaps in ways I did but I needed to shut down and so my mind said "OFF" and that's what I did, shut down. I slept that night for a few hours which is what I needed.

When I hear friends saying what is wrong with me I can't move on I always say, your not supposed to move on but through grief. There is no jumping over it or ducking under it you must walk through it! This is where psalm 91 means so much, "Yea thou I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.

In other words, Jesus our great Shepherd will guide us through it, we will not stay in the valley of the shadow of death but we must walk through it.

I bless you with peace, Linda