The Return of Angchronicles

ImageMy mother taught me that if you have nothing good to say, say nothing at all. Hence for a few weeks angchronicles has had nothing good to say. Not because life is not good. I wake up every morning, sometimes later than I should, have food to eat, not always what I desire, and have real friends who love me.

Having true friends is important. The type who are honest, make me think about my actions, and are sometimes more enthusiastic about the things in my life than I am. And lately, I have not been enthusiastic. If you’ve every met me in person, you would understand. For instance, I responded to a Facebook message regarding an online women’s fiction group. When I spoke to the woman on the phone, she immediately said, “You’ll be great, you’ll bring so much enthusiasm to the group.” Here the kicker, she and I met once at a conference during lunchtime, 45 minutes. I was floored; didn’t realize my excitement rubbed off.

But lately, I have not been high-spirited simply because I seem to take two steps forward and three steps backwards. Ever been there? And although, I am a praying woman, righteous only because of Jesus, I trust that these obstacles are God’s way of showing me he’s in charge, not me. Despite whether I’m on the mountaintop or in the valley I have to trust him. I do. Yet sometimes my zeal wanes.

When my zeal wanes, I keep a low profile. Those true friends, I try to limit my conversation with them. They will detect my vanishing fervor. They will try to encourage me. Sometimes, I don’t want to be encouraged. I want to waddle in my self-pity. Have a pity party. Woe is me. However, if I can’t be revived, then how should I expect to revive others with my words? Hence, no blog post on angchronicles, which saddens me.

And God’s been dealing with me because even if one person likes a post, I have lifted someone’s spirit. That’s my call, that’ my job, that’s my ministry with my words. After all, I am a literary artist painting pictures as a writer, speaker and workshop leader.

But I did not come to the conclusion without introspective musing. From the reflection of the devotion “The Place of Exaltation,” I discovered sometimes I cannot and will not be on the mountaintop. Those mountaintop experiences are for inspiration, moments when God builds and mold my character. Upon my descent, into the valley where ordinary things happen, I must prove my stamina and strength that is the true test of my character. In which, I should have something good to say at all times even if I took three steps backward.

So stay tuned for angchronicles weekly Tuesday post.

11 thoughts on “The Return of Angchronicles”

  1. Angie,
    Well since I see you most Sundays, I won’t say welcome back. I have always told you that I enjoy reading your point of view about whatever life is saying to you. What you have shared with your public today is most precious to God. When gold is refined it is liquefied, a heating process that is designed to break the gold down. The next step is to add borax and soda ash to the molten metal which separates the impurities and brings about pure gold. It’s God’s process and he uses those down times, hardships, loneliness, in the same way the borax and soda ash are used, to purify us.
    He is looking for that humble spirit that submits to his will with adoration and gratefulness. How could we ever think to know the man Jesus, who was humble, meek and mild, in his suffering if we don’t allow God the prerogative to be God in our lives? If we thought just a little deeper about the purposes of God we might conclude that his whole purpose of salvation was that we would KNOW him. Jesus said this is eternal life. Peter tells us to “count it all joy when we go through…” This is God letting us in on who he is and what he has gone through because of his love for us. I agree that the mountaintop is a reprieve from the everyday grind of ordinary, mean, living. This is why he doesn’t allow us to stay there too long and why his promises are so special. As usual, I’ve talked a lot but that’s to your credit for presenting such stimulating thought. See you soon.

    • Michael,

      I like the heating process metaphor. It’s so painful, yet useful. I imagine this purifying is an ongoing process that definitely needs a mountaintop reprieve. God has a sense of humor, and a way of getting our attention. I know he has mine. Thanks for sharing.

      • For me, the key to handling adversity, of what ever kind, is to remember what Peter said about counting trials pure joy. Why PURE joy? This is evidence that God is keeping his proomise to make us into the image of Jesus. It was painful for Jesus to go through what he did and so we pick uup our cross “in the valley of the shadow…. Paul says his desire is to know Christ in “the fellowship of his suffering.” The closer we get to Jesus, the more the “feelings” of this world and our flesh, fade. Never forget that He “…works everything out for…” our good. Not easy to walk the Via De La Rosa. Now I KNOW I’ve said enough. God bless and good night. For real. : )

  2. God have a way of bringing us to our lowest point so we can look up, not down. When we get to that humbling point and are blessed he(God) will get the glory. Been there done that.

  4. Okay, Angie. Now that you’ve used the title “The Return of Angchronicles” you can’t let this happen again. What will you call it then…The Revenge of Angchronicles?…or maybe Angchronicles Once Again. You see what I mean?
    So, snap out of it and show up to work like Jesus called you to do. 🙂
    Welcome back. Ang.

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